Tactics of Deception
by zephyrocity
Summary: Hunting a demon in the Western lands, Sango and the gang meet a young man named Kyo. When he starts traveling with them, why is it that the only one who notices something odd about Kyo is Sesshoumaru? And why is he determined to protect Sango from him?
1. It Starts Sometime After Midnight

**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha and all related characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I own the plot and my original characters alone.  
**Summary:** Hunting a demon in Sesshoumaru's lands, Sango and the gang meet a young man named Kyo. When he starts traveling with them, why is it that the only one who notices something odd about Kyo is Sesshoumaru? And why is he determined to protect Sango from him?

* * *

**_Tactics of Deception  
_****Chapter 1: It Starts Sometime After Midnight**

A lone woman stood on a grassy hill. Her black-brown hair cascaded down her back in a silky wave. Her pink and black battle gear fitted tight to her slim frame, and she held her weapon, a giant boomerang titled _Hiraikotsu_, steady, tensely. Her big doe eyes darted around furtively, looking for a hidden enemy. She knew something was there, but she could not see it. Little did she know it, but a blood red pair of eyes filled with hatred watched her from the upper branches of tall tree.

"Sango!"

The woman turned, hearing her name. A young girl, about 15 years of age, walked toward her, followed by a boy in red, his dogs ears sticking up from his silver hair, a little, orange-haired fox demon and, in her tiny form, a bright-eyed, two-tailed cat demon. It was the girl who had called out to her.

Sango smiled at them, and her smile widened when she saw who came behind them: Miroku. Dressed in black and purple, his staff by his side, the monk provided a deceptively calm and nurturing image.

"What are you doing?" the girl, Kagome, asked her friend earnestly. "We just sat down to have lunch when suddenly you were gone!"

"I sensed something," Sango replied quietly.

"Oh," Kagome said softly, and closed her eyes. A moment later, her eyes snapped open and she declared, "I don't sense a jewel shard."

"It's still—" Suddenly, there was a rustling from the big tree Sango stood under. Instantly alert, Sango hurled the Hiraikotsu, but the creature had already disappeared. "—here," Sango finished dejectedly. After looking around in examination, making sure the creature was truly gone, she sighed, "Never mind."

Inuyasha, the dog-eared boy in red, shrugged and told his companions, "It's gone now. So let's just go back and eat already!"

"Okay. I brought ramen," Kagome said cheerily, very much aware and prepared for the reaction her words would earn.

The one-word sentence Kagome had been expecting came without fail.

"Ramen!" Inuyasha yelped, and beside him, the girl let out a chuckle. "Why didn't you say so?" He grabbed Kagome and Shippo, the little fox demon, and sped back to the camp, leaving Sango and Miroku alone.

After a few moments, Miroku broke the silence that spread comfortably around the two by stepping closer to the taijiya and asking kindly, "Are you coming, Sango?"

Sango smiled warmly and replied, "Yes, houshi-sama."

"Good," he said, grinning at her. Furtively, or so he thought, Miroku's hand stretched toward Sango's butt.

_SMACK!_

"Houshi-sama," Sango muttered angrily. She glared at him and noted with satisfaction how big and red the handprint on his cheek was.

He sighed sadly. _It was worth a shot,_ the houshi thought. Sango glared at him, as if she could read his mind, and stalked back to the camp. Miroku followed dejectedly. They returned to the campsite to find Inuyasha ordering Kagome to give him more ramen.

Annoyed, Kagome told him that there wasn't any more. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, convinced that she was lying (he told her so, and it took all her self-control not to sit him), and snatched her big yellow backpack. He sifted through it, eventually discovering that she was telling the truth. The hanyou muttered something inaudible that was undoubtedly a curse on Kagome and sat back on his haunches.

"Sorry, Inuyasha," Kagome said. She glanced up at Sango, and, when she did, there was a twinkle in her eye. "What took you so long, Sango?" Kagome asked, sounding a little too sly and mischievous to be completely innocent.

Though it took her a moment to realize what her friend meant, Sango flushed crimson at the insinuation. "Nothing happened, Kagome," the taijiya insisted, and knelt next to Kagome. Her friend sighed, but Sango wasn't done. "Nothing," she said quietly, too quietly for Miroku to hear, "will ever happen."

Kagome frowned, and pulling Sango onto her butt into the dirt, she exclaimed determinedly, a little too loud for Sango's liking, "Of course it will. You don't know what's going to happen! He obviously favors you over other women. He _likes _you, Sango!"

"Yeah, and every other woman on the planet," Sango retorted, snorting.

Kagome sighed at the obvious dilemma and offered Sango a rice ball. "I would give you some ramen, except Mr. Greedy here"—she scowled pointedly at Inuyasha—"ate it all."

"You guys know that we're right next to that old hag's village, right?" Inuyasha asked to change the subject; he knew very well that Kagome would be angered by Inuyasha's 'nickname' for Kaede and forget around the ramen situation. Indeed, she turned on him angrily, and he dropped her bag in the dirt, oblivious to the fact that this would only annoy her further. "It's right over that hill," he said to the fuming girl, jerking his head to the right.

After sitting Inuyasha for his rudeness, Kagome exclaimed brightly to the rest of her friends, "We should stop by and say hello. I'm sure Kaede-san would enjoy the visit!"

"Good idea," Miroku exclaimed. He smiled and stood up, ecstatic at the prospect of staying somewhere warm and comfortable for the night. Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippo followed suit and all but Inuyasha—who ran on ahead to avoid the cleaning—began to tidy up.

"That lazy jerk," Kagome muttered. "We haven't even cleaned up yet. Inuyasha!" she bellowed after his fleeing form. "Get back here!"

It was no use, of course. So, the group, without Inuyasha's help, set to cleaning away their stuff. Kagome opened up her huge pack and rolled up her sleeping bag. Stuffing the luxury inside it, the 15-year-old turned to pick up the remains of their lunch. Kagome hummed as she picked up the cup that had once held ramen noodles, and tossed it into the black garbage bag she had brought with her. Miroku cleared away his things and the blanket he had used to sleep under. Shippo eagerly handed Kagome her other blanket, and looked to where Inuyasha had almost disappeared around a corner in the road.

"Wait up, Inuyasha!" Shippo squeaked. He and the two-tailed cat demon from earlier, Kirara, ran after the hanyou, Kagome following close behind. Miroku trailed slowly after her, and then they both realized that Sango hadn't moved to at all; she still sat on the grass where she had been talking to Kagome, staring blankly ahead.

Miroku paused and looked back at the taijiya. "Are you all right, Sango?"

Sango snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the houshi, flushing when she realized they had already cleaned up and was about to leave. "Yeah," she said quietly. "I'm just thinking of the presence I sensed this morning."

"Maybe Kaede-san will tell us something of interest that could be related to your mysterious presence," Miroku suggested as he walked over and offered Sango a helpful hand.

Sango took it reluctantly, closing watching the houshi's other hand. For once, nothing happened, and she relaxed and allowed him to pull her up. "Thanks, houshi-sama." Sango smiled at him, and they walked alone down the road; their friends had gone on ahead. But just before Sango and Miroku rounded the nearby bend, they heard Kagome's surprised yelp up ahead.

Sango charged forward, wondering what was going on and ready to unhitch the Hiraikotsu. "Kagome!" she hollered, scurrying around the corner and stopping short at the sight before her.

Miroku hurried after her, and as he rounded the bend he nearly crashed into Sango, who had stopped upon seeing a humongous demon in their path. It held the hapless Kagome in one hand, and was squeezing. She let out a groan of agony and went limp in the demon's hold soon after.

"Kagome!" Shippo called out shrilly and jumped from his position off to the side, where he had formerly been shrieking in fear. "Fox fire!" he bellowed, and his attack hit its target, but it was like a harmless bug's bite to the demon.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha bellowed from his place at the demon's foot. He jumped up toward her, letting out a roar of, "Sankon Tessou!" The hanyou's claws struck the demon's forearm, severing the hand that held Kagome. It crashed to the ground, and Inuyasha continued pummeling the demon. "Sango!" he called back to the taijiya, drawing Tetsusaiga with a toothy smirk. "Take care of Kagome!"

But Sango was already kneeling by her friend, and Shippo sat next to her, almost in tears. "Kagome!" she whispered. Sango gently shook the girl's shoulders and repeated, "Kagome!"

Miroku came up behind them. "She's unconscious," he announced.

"Houshi-sama," Sango said simply, looking back toward him. She hoisted Kagome up on her shoulders and shouted to Inuyasha, "We'll go to the village!" Sango started to run forward, but Inuyasha's cry cut through the air.

"No!"

"Huh?" Sango stopped short and looked back toward Inuyasha. "What?"

"Wait"—he sent the demon to hell with an astounding Wind Scar—"for me!" Inuyasha jumped down beside Sango and all but ripped Kagome off the taijiya. "I'll carry her."

"Sure," Sango said amiably, shrugging. "It doesn't matter to me."

But Inuyasha was not listening. He had long since leaped off toward the village.

"Well," Sango said, looking to Miroku, Kirara and Shippo, who were standing next to her. "Shall we follow, then?" The houshi and the fox kit nodded, Kirara meowed a yes, and the four set off, jogging at an even pace after Inuyasha.

* * *

"Look! She's awake!" a young man's voice exclaimed.

"Shh!" a child's voice cut in.

The man's voice let out a low growl and snarled, "Don't shush me, you—"

"Shut _up_!" a young woman's voice said sharply, and then there was a pause before the same girl shrieked, "Houshi-sama! Keep your hands to yourself!" A slap followed, and a second young man mumbled something incomprehensible.

"Kagome? Open your eyes, child," said a familiar, hoarse voice.

Kagome's eyes opened slowly and groggily, revealing, through very fuzzy and blurred vision, all her friends seated around her. "Where… where am I?" she croaked muzzily.

"My hut," said the same hoarse voice as before.

Kagome's head turned slowly to the side and she saw the elderly miko Kaede smiling down at her. "Kaede-san," she murmured, rubbing her bleary eyes and sitting up. "What happened?"

"I can't tell ye that exactly," Kaede said. "All I know is that Inuyasha burst in here, carrying ye. His face was filled with worry, obviously terrified that something horrible happened to ye."

"Old hag," Inuyasha growled through gritted teeth. His face was hilariously red, but instead of laughing, Kagome smiled softly at him. He refused to look her in the eye, and stubbornly turned away while Sango and Miroku exchanged a knowing glance.

Kaede shook her head and cleared her throat. The group all turned to her, and she said, "I'm glad you've come."

"What's wrong, you old hag?" asked Inuyasha. The blush had died down and now he just sounded bored.

Kagome leaned forward in interest. After giving Inuyasha a reproachful glare, she questioned, "What troubles you, Kaede-san?"

"There are tales of a new, shape-shifting demon in the west," Kaede told them somberly. "It has been killing mercilessly. They call it... Tohyama."

"Tohyama, huh?" Miroku asked interestedly.

"Yes"—Kaede nodded in affirmation—"I need ye all to go and kill it. If it does not die soon, it will keep killing and killing until it reaches this very village," the old miko completed her dismal story and gazed at them hopefully, impatiently waiting for their response.

"Let's do it!" Shippo chirped.

"Of course," Sango and Miroku agreed simultaneously.

"What are we waiting for?" Kagome asked cheerily.

All eyes went to Inuyasha, who had not yet spoken and was staring intently at the floor. "In my brother's lands?" he moaned finally, looking up. The hanyou frowned, seeing no way around it, and said, "What a drag. He's gonna try and kill us as soon as we step onto his territory."

"That's true," Kagome mused, nodding. "What are we going to do about Sesshoumaru?"

"We'll just have to fight," Sango decided determinedly as she stroked Kirara, who was curled up next to her, fast asleep.

"You mean, I'll just have to fight," Inuyasha muttered darkly, crossing his arms over his chest and snorting rudely. "You guys don't stand a chance in hell!"

"I could stand against Sesshoumaru!" Sango insisted, annoyed. "I'm a taijiya, remember?"

"And he's my extremely powerful and arrogant jackass of an older brother, remember?" Inuyasha retorted, mimicking her tone.

Sango glared at him, despite the fact that she had known in her heart all along that he was right; Sesshoumaru was just too strong. Just then, Kagome coughed to successfully get Sango and Inuyasha's attention away from their argument.

The futuristic miko, having distracted her two bickering friends, turned to Kaede and announced, "We'll do it, Kaede-san."

"Thank you," Kaede said earnestly, her voice weak with relief. "But," she said quickly when Inuyasha stood up to leave, "ye cannot leave tonight. Ye must rest and eat. Do not forget that Kagome suffered some injuries today, and has not yet fully healed."

"It's true, Inuyasha," Sango said reasonably, grabbing his sleeve to stop him. "Let us stay here for the night."

After Inuyasha sat back down, Kaede stood up with a groan and a creaking of bones and asked kindly, wiping her hands on her hakama, "Do ye wish to have ye meal now?"

"Yes, please," chorused the group. Kaede nodded and disappeared into another room.

Kagome smiled at Inuyasha and said as if they were the only two in the room, "Thank you for helping me, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked away and shrugged indifferently. "Feh," he muttered. "It's… no problem, Kagome." Then his eyes met Kagome's and they stared into the depths of each other's eyes for a couple seconds before Sango coughed politely. Miroku and Shippo had already started sniggering. Kagome and Inuyasha both blushed crimson, and stared fixedly at the floor.

"Cute, aren't they, Sango?" Miroku said pointedly.

"Adorable," Sango agreed, biting back a chuckle at their friends' mortified faces.

"We're not half as bad as you guys! You two—always staring at each other," Inuyasha growled back at the houshi and the taijiya. Sango flushed at this and looked away; Miroku just smiled.

"Hardly! You switch between Kagome and Kikyo every five seconds!" Shippo said loudly, and Inuyasha gave him a ferocious glare. The young kitsune demon responded in a most Shippo-like way: he hid behind Kagome, whimpering.

"Inuyasha! Look what you did!" Kagome snapped. "Poor thing, he's scared to death." She gathered the little kit into her arms and when Kagome was not looking, Shippo's victorious green eyes shimmered and he grinned at Inuyasha, wrapping his small arms around Kagome's neck.

The hanyou growled and launched himself at the kitsune, but Kagome saw this, frowned and hollered, "Sit, boy!"

There was a loud crash and a cry of pain. After a few moments of being too stunned to move, the hanyou picked himself up from where he had crashed on the floor. The floor beneath him had shattered, leaving Kaede with a huge hole in the bottom of her hut.

"Haven't you done enough?" Kagome reprimanded, pulling Shippo close to her.

Kaede returned a moment later with food, and that cut the arguments short. Eager to eat, Inuyasha picked himself up, taking wood chips from his hair and his clothes. "Here," the elderly miko said, handing out portions. They ate in silence for a while, but soon Kaede cleared her throat and spoke. "Inuyasha? Kagome?"

"What?" came the crabby, impatient voice of Inuyasha.

"Yes, Kaede-san?" Kagome replied politely, staring at Kaede attentively, smiling her usual naïve smile.

The elderly priestess coughed and stared at her friends levelly. "Why is there a hole in my floor?"

* * *

"Come on, Kagome!" Inuyasha barked as he and the others waited for Kagome the following morning. (Inuyasha couldn't wait to get on the trail of this new demon.)

Kagome appeared in the doorway a few seconds later, and rushed out to where her group of friends were waiting. "Sorry," she snapped at the hanyou. "I was saying good-bye to Kaede-san."

They then set off at an even pace, but Inuyasha lagged behind. Kagome alone stood waiting for him, and Inuyasha was appreciative of this. So much so, in fact, that he muttered to her, "Thanks, Kagome."

"You're welcome, Inuyasha," Kagome replied. The two began walking after their friends, and there was a short silence before Inuyasha spoke again.

"You sound just like her."

"Who?" Kagome asked immediately. And then, a second later, she realized who he was talking about. "Oh. Kikyo."

"Yeah."

_Stop comparing me to her!_ Kagome screamed mentally. _I'm nothing like her! Kikyo was reserved… quiet… totally selfless… and I am nothing like her… and that's why you prefer Kikyo, Inuyasha. 'You are very like her,' _Kagome recalled someone saying to her._ 'You are both spirited and loving, and will do anything for the one they love.' They're wrong. Kikyo is just the kind of person Inuyasha needs… to calm him, to comfort him. I am more like Inuyasha, and would only fuel his arrogance and restlessness. I may sound like her, Inuyasha. I may look like her, I may walk like her, I may talk like her, I may be just like her on the outside, but in reality, we are two totally different people._

"Kagome?" Inuyasha's voice broke through her troubled thoughts.

"Yeah?" she responded._ Shoot._ Her voice sound raspy and unsure of itself.

"Did I hurt your feelings… before, when I said you sounded like Kikyo?"

"No, of course not," Kagome said quickly. A little too quickly.

Inuyasha stole a look at her and said roughly, "Well, I'm sorry. I just can't… you remind me so much of her…"

_You just can't stop thinking about her, _Kagome completed in her mind, somewhat bitterly. "Well, how can we not think of the one we love?" she replied softly with a forced smile.

Inuyasha was completely taken aback. "I…" he sputtered. "Well…"

Kagome strode on ahead before he could say more, extremely angry with herself and sorely disappointed that he had not cried out, 'Love Kikyo? No! I love you, Kagome!'

Or, something like that, anyway.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha exclaimed, reaching out to her. Then he sighed. _What is the matter with that girl?_ he thought.

Sango, overhearing every word and imagining Kagome's pained thoughts, glanced back. Kagome had caught up to them and was now walking purposefully fast, not allowing Inuyasha to catch up.

Miroku, instead, fell behind and slung an arm around Inuyasha's shoulders. "Women troubles, eh?" he rumbled. Inuyasha grunted, and the houshi all but sang, "Well, you've come to the right man, my dear Inuyasha."

But before the flirtatious monk could continue, Inuyasha shrugged off his arm and muttered darkly, "Piss off, monk."

"Well!" Miroku exclaimed, watching Inuyasha jog up to Kagome and grab her arm. The monk winced internally. _Idiot._

The following 'Sit, boy!' (courtesy of Kagome) rang out through the trees, and the following crash and mad flurry of birds leaving their spots in the trees marked Inuyasha's unfortunate collision with the dirt.

"C… c'mon, Kagome!" Inuyasha snapped, hoisting himself up after a few moments of pain. "What in the seven hells is the matter with you?"

Miroku hurriedly grabbed Inuyasha's arm and pulled him back before Kagome had a chance to sit him again for his ignorance. "Inuyasha," the houshi hissed, "do not bother Kagome right now; she's having a little difficulty coping with her—and your—feelings. Okay? So shut up."

"But…"

"No, Inuyasha. Listen. She really, really doesn't want to accept your feelings for Kikyo, and—"

"My feelings for Kikyo!" Inuyasha hissed back. "What does Kikyo have to do with this?"

"Everything, you fool!" Miroku snapped.

"Look, Kikyo and I—"

The cursed houshi sighed and explained slowly, "Look, Kagome's… err… jealous of you and Kikyo, and she"—_desperately,_ Miroku added in his mind—"wants to be with you."

"… But what if I want to be with her too?" Inuyasha whispered reluctantly.

Miroku sighed again. "Then that's fabulous. Why haven't you told her?"

"I don't want to tell her!"

"Kami, Inuyasha, its not that difficult!" Miroku exclaimed louder than necessary. Lowering his voice again, Miroku continued, "Look, unless you want Sango and I to tell her, you better confess soon, do you hear me?"

"But," Inuyasha began, "what if it turns out she doesn't have f—"

"Oh, for Kami's sake, Inuyasha!" Miroku exclaimed. "Kagome has told Sango and Sango has told me that she does!"

"Oh."

_Finally, _Miroku sighed mentally._ What an idiot!_

* * *

Inuyasha, every so often glancing (as inconspicuously as he could) at Kagome, was thinking hard. Kagome had long since abandoned her anger for sulking silence, and he was tired of it.

"Kagome."

"…"

"Sorry."

"…"

A vein in Inuyasha's temple throbbed in annoyance. "Look," he snapped. "I said I'm sorry, so why don't you just—" Just then he saw the expression on Sango's face and the mad shaking of Miroku's head. "Uh…" The hanyou paused, contemplating.

_Follow Miroku's advice… follow my instinct… follow Miroku's advice… follow my instinct…_

Then he realized something. Eyebrow raised, he grabbed Miroku by the back of his robes and hissed, "You know, your love life isn't goin' so well, houshi. Why should I follow your advice?"

"Uh"—Miroku swallowed hard—"Inuyasha… you, uh, you know I have a lot of experience in this area…"

"Then why," Inuyasha persisted, his grip tightening, "isn't Sango draping herself all over you and telling you she loves you?"

Miroku grinned despite himself. "Is that what you want Kagome to do?"

The houshi had never seen Inuyasha's face go so red. The hanyou flung his friend to the ground and turned away in humiliation. Miroku smirked knowingly. Beaming, Miroku picked himself up and boomed, "Why, Inuyasha, I never knew you were such a—"

His words were muffled when Inuyasha covered Miroku's mouth with a clawed hand. "Shut it."

Miroku did. He eased back into stride with Kirara and Sango, and shook his head at the taijiya's questioning eyebrow. Meanwhile, the same thought was still running through Inuyasha's head.

_Follow Miroku's advice… follow my instinct… follow Miroku's advice… follow my instinct…_

That was it. He had decided. Inuyasha stormed up to Kagome, grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. "Stupid wench—what's _wrong_ with you?" he asked hotly.

Several emotions flashed across Kagome's face. Inuyasha saw pain, anger, frustration—but the rest passed too quickly. Then, Kagome did something that not only shocked Inuyasha to the core, but Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara as well.

It was worse than a sit. Far worse. The mark on Inuyasha's check flared an angry red. She had slapped him.

One of Inuyasha's hands came up and felt the welt on his cheek. His mouth opened and closed, then opened again, attempting speech. But no words came. He was too shocked. His hand remained on his cheek, and he just stared at her.

Letting out a satisfied, 'Hmph,' Kagome stormed on ahead, past her motionless friends.

"Inu… Inuyasha?" Sango ventured to speak, but Inuyasha refused to respond.

"See," Miroku sighed, "this is why we told you not to bother her."

"Houshi-sama, don't bother him," Sango ordered, and stepped toward her hanyou friend. "Inuyasha?" she repeated.

"That… that…" Inuyasha had finally managed speech. His throat seemed blocked by remorse and regret, but soon his sorrow gave way to disbelieving anger. "That impudent wench!" he cried furiously, eyes wide.

He went to step up to Kagome again, but Miroku blocked his way. "Unless you desire to be slapped again," the cursed houshi said gravely, as if it were a matter of life and death, "you better leave her alone."

That stopped Inuyasha in his tracks. After a long pause, he stopped resisting and said, "Fine." After a moment-long silence, the hanyou added, "I can't believe she slapped me." Inuyasha glanced at Miroku. "Does that mean that she hates me?"

"Of course not!" the houshi exclaimed, patting Inuyasha reassuringly on the back. "She could never hate you."

"I'll go talk to Kagome, okay?" Sango said. Before waiting for consent, she set off after her friend (and Shippo, who had gone with her after a moment's hesitation), who had not stopped, and now was more than a mile ahead of them.

Sango jogged up, and, within a minute, the taijiya caught up to the futuristic miko, who had stopped and sat down on a rock next to Shippo. Sulking, Kagome had put her head in her hands, and was obviously disheartened.

Though Kagome did not look up when Sango arrived, she heard Kirara, and spoke, "He's such an insensitive jerk."

"Kagome," Sango said, squatting down next to her friend and reaching out to pat her on the back. "He's not _that_ bad, and you know it."

"Yes, he is," Kagome replied, voice muffled by her hands.

"He really likes you, Kagome. You really hurt him when you slapped him."

"Good."

Sango sighed. "Kagome, come on. You know you love hi—"

"Love him?" Kagome spat. "That dumb idiot? Hah. You wish." She paused, and then continued, "Besides, he loves Kikyo"—she sniffed back a dry sob—"and will never love me."

"That's not true!" Shippo squeaked, putting a tiny paw on the girl's shoulder.

Sango stood up. She could see the young men coming down the road. Inuyasha looked upset, while Miroku looked relieved.

"Well, we should probably move on," Sango announced loudly once the boys had arrived. She started walking ahead, adjusting the straps that held the Hiraikotsu to her back. Miroku followed, grinning sheepishly at Kagome. He gave Shippo and Kirara a meaningful look, and both followed, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha alone.

"Kagome."

"What." She said it as a statement, in order not to convey any emotion.

"I'm sorry."

"Did Miroku tell you to say that?" Kagome snarled at him.

Inuyasha sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Kagome. Really."

The human girl stole a glance at him. "Really?" Her voice sounded meek—meeker then she wanted it to be. Kagome wanted to be the tough one in this conversation, and so she repeated the word, this time in a tougher, deeper voice. _"Really?"_ The young woman flushed. She had sounded absolutely ridiculous and desperate, and they both knew it.

Inuyasha inwardly smiled. His facial expression stayed the same, though: a convincing one of apology and guilt. "Yeah."

"Okay, Inuyasha," Kagome conceded. "I forgive you." He kept looking at her, and Kagome stared uncomfortably back until she realized he expected her to apologize too. "Oh," she said quickly. "I'm sorry for slapping you."

"S'okay."

* * *

Up ahead, Miroku and Sango peeked back from behind a large boulder.

"Look's like it's going well," Miroku remarked, craning his neck so he could see better.

"Do you think he said sorry like you told him to, houshi-sama?" Sango asked in a hushed whisper, having a perfect view of the couple.

"Looks like it."

"Good." Sango's eyes sparkled. "Now he just needs to hug her—you did tell him to hug her, right?"

"Damn!" Miroku exclaimed in annoyance. "I forgot."

"Well," Shippo cut in from his position on Sango's shoulder, "Inuyasha's not the kind of guy to give out random hugs anyway, is he?"

"No, I suppose not," Sango mused, looking down at her toes.

"Sango, I didn't think you were the matchmaker kind," Shippo said honestly.

Sango chuckled and petted the kitsune on the head. "You should have seen me with my friends in my village."

"Sango, look!" Shippo gasped, pointing.

Sango glanced in the direction he was pointing immediately and gasped, surprised and extremely pleased.

* * *

"Kagome." Inuyasha was nervous, though if asked, he'd deny it.

"Yes, Inuyasha?" Kagome replied pleasantly. No longer angry, her face held it's usual naive smile.

Before she knew what was going on, Inuyasha's arms had wrapped around her and pulled her into a hug. She was limp for a second, before sputtering, "Inu… Inuyasha!" His arms tightened, and she slowly wrapped her small arms around his frame, returning the hug with hesitance and hope that this would start something new.

* * *

"Awww," Shippo crooned. He turned to his cat demon friend and said, "Isn't that sweet, Kirara?"

Sango and Miroku exchanged a glance. He grinned at her, and her face reddened and she looked away hurriedly.

"Th-that's sweet, isn't, h-houshi-sama?" Sango croaked, refusing to the look the houshi in the eye, and choosing, instead, to stare at the ground as if there was something of interest drawn in the dirt.

"Mm-hmm," Miroku said, inching closer.

_Oh no… oh no… what now…? _Sango thought miserably. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the monk until he was very close indeed. Sango then glanced up at him and stuttered, "H-houshi-sama!" In her nervousness, the taijiya fell back onto her butt and, once again, her face turned scarlet.

Miroku grinned sweetly at her and his hand reached toward her, not to grope her, but to help her up. "Need help, Sango?"

"Thanks, houshi-sama," Sango said, Kagome and Inuyasha forgotten. She relaxed, giving him the opportunity to grope her. His expression never changed, but there was a drastic change in hers. "Keep your hands to yourself!" she yelped, smacking his hand away. "Pervert!"

* * *

"We must be near the border to the Western Lands," Sango remarked that evening. She and her friends had stopped in a clearing to rest for the night. They were all huddled around a tiny fire that was barely keeping them warm.

There was a long pause, before Miroku said gravely, "The days are getting colder."

Kagome's shivered. "I'm freezing!" She wrapped the woolen blanket that was draped around her shoulders tighter.

Miroku glanced at Inuyasha, and the monk's eyes told him what to do. Nervous, Inuyasha inched closer to Kagome, as they were sitting on the same log. When he was close enough, the hanyou slung an arm around her shoulder.

Kagome panicked. "Ah… ah… what are you doing, Inuyasha!" she shrieked in his ear.

And she pushed him off the log.

He fell flat on his back, and Kagome shot up, her face scarlet. _What was that just now?_ she thought anxiously._ Why the hell did he put an arm around me? _A silly smile spread across her face, and she was thankful she faced away from the fire, so no one could see the ridiculous grin on her face. _Maybe he does care for me! Maybe he has left Kikyo behind and grown to... to_, her face flushed all over again, _to love _me

Miroku winced internally. _That didn't go as planned… _But then he glanced at Kagome hunched over form and could almost sense her glee. _Though Kagome seems happy._

* * *

"Here's the border," Inuyasha announced, stepping forward with his friends following confidently behind. "That river"—he pointed to the thin but impressive river before them—"marks the beginning of Sesshoumaru's territory."

"Well, let's go!" Sango exclaimed, grinning at her friends. Without further hesitation, the taijiya stepped back and took a running jump over the water.

"Sango! Wait!" Inuyasha called. _Idiot…_

Sango smiled triumphantly at Miroku, Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo and Kirara from the other side. "See? It's fine. I bet Sesshoumaru is—"

The only thing anyone saw was a blur, and suddenly Sango was pinned to a tree by Sesshoumaru, his clawed hand around her neck. His sharp claws were cutting into her and she could feel the blood drip down onto her fighting clothes. Sesshoumaru held her up above the ground and let out a menacing, guttural growl. She clawed at his hand, but it was futile.

"Sango!" Miroku yelped.

"Sango-chan!" Kagome cried. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome around the waist and leaped across to fight. Miroku picked up Shippo, and he ran over to Kirara, jumped on her, and they flew across the gap, incoherent cries frothing on Miroku's tongue.

"Let her go!" Inuyasha snarled, drawing Tetsusaiga.

Sesshoumaru didn't even turn to face him. "Why are you on my land, human?" he snarled at Sango. But she didn't hear him. Her vision was going black around the edges because of the lack of air in her lungs. "You try my patience," he growled, and tightened his grip. "Why are you on my land?" he repeated, knowing she could not answer, _enjoying _that she not answer. He watched in satisfaction as her face paled to a pasty white and as she gasped for the breath that would never come.

"You bastard! Put… her… _down_!" Miroku roared, leaping off Kirara and charging toward the demon, swinging his staff with mad ferocity.

Without even looking, Sesshoumaru sent out his whip, which threw Miroku backward into Kagome. They fell to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

"Well? Aren't you going to fight me? Or are you too scared?" Inuyasha taunted.

"Me? Scared?" Sesshoumaru asked, his voice mocking. He let Sango go, and she dropped to the ground, rubbing her bruised and bloodied throat. She stumbled over to where her friends were, swaying. The black spots still flashed in her vision, and she was still short of breath. "You wish, little brother." Sesshoumaru drew the Tokijin and charged forward.

"Wind scar!" Inuyasha bellowed, striking.

Sesshoumaru raised a challenging eyebrow, and casually sidestepped the weaker of Tetsusaiga's strongest attacks. Sesshoumaru charged again, and managed to disarm Inuyasha. The Tetsusaiga hit the ground about 10 feet away from both demons, and transformed back into its useless, broken self.

Inuyasha muttered a frustrated curse under his breath and sprinted to where his weapon had stuck in the dirt. Sesshoumaru sighed, and used his demonic speed to catch up to Inuyasha.

The hanyou's back faced his brother's annoyed face, and Sesshoumaru growled, "Never turn your back on an opponent, fool!" His claws slashed downward, leaving Inuyasha with a deep gash in his back. Inuyasha stiffened and staggered forward, grabbing the Tetsusaiga. He spun round and faced his brother. Though Inuyasha's face was white with pain from his new wound, he held the Tetsusaiga without stumbling.

The battle continued for quite a while, eventually leaving them both sorely injured and panting. Tired of this game, Sesshoumaru glared at his half-brother, suddenly sheathed his Tokijin and, just when Sesshoumaru eyes started to glow red, two cries cut through the air.

"Sesshoumaru-samaaaaaaa!"

"Milord! Where are you?"

Sesshoumaru stopped mid-transformation and glanced up in surprise. A toad-like creature by the name of Jaken stumbled into view, closely followed by a young human girl.

"Jaken… take Rin and leave!" Sesshoumaru ordered.

"But, milord!" Just then, Jaken spotted Inuyasha and gasped, "Inuyasha!"

The little girl, Rin, completely ignoring Sesshoumaru's warning, bounded forward and attached herself to the taiyoukai's leg. "Sesshoumaru-samaaaaa!" she squealed happily.

"Rin, please leave," Sesshoumaru growled.

"No, Sesshoumaru-sama! Look what Rin did for you!" Grinning, she held up a bouquet of wild flowers. Admittedly, it was mostly weeds, but there were a few flowers entangled in the mess.

Inuyasha was laughing. "Awww, look, my high-and-mighty brother is playing mommy to a little human girl!" He slipped in his mirth, and fell to the ground, his brother's situation breaking his concentration and causing him to act more idiotic than usual. Ignoring Sesshoumaru's obvious anger, Inuyasha continued to roll around on the ground, cackling with glee. Sesshoumaru, having persuaded Rin and Jaken to go where it was safe, sped over and kicked his brother hard in the stomach.

Inuyasha let out a pained, choked sound, and the metallic taste of blood filled the hanyou's mouth.

"Get _up_, weak half-breed," Sesshoumaru snarled, furious that he had been made a fool of.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome yelled. She charged forward, wielding a sacred arrow. "Stop it!"

"Hmph," Sesshoumaru snorted incredulously. "Weak human… do you honestly think you could stand against me?" The demon stepped toward her and she quivered. Letting out a scared gasp, Kagome shot her arrow, but Sesshoumaru easily avoided it. Using his demon speed, he charged forward until he was right in front of her. She took a frightened step back, but Sesshoumaru unleashed his acid poison.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha bellowed. He tried to get up, but his stomach throbbed painfully and he crashed back down in the dirt. "_Kagome!_" he repeated, a clawed hand stretching out to her.

Kagome cowered, shrieking, but Sango, having gotten up from where she had collapsed, ran forward, pushing her friend out of the way. She faced Sesshoumaru determinedly, and he raised an eyebrow at her.

_The human girl,_ he thought. _She is still alive._ This displeased him, and he frowned at her. Sesshoumaru unsheathed the Tokijin and raised the sword above Sango's head. "Die," the powerful taiyoukai whispered.

Sango, frightened, drew her katana and stood squarely. He slashed at her, and though she tried to block it, the Tokijin snapped her weak katana in two and slashed her chest, leaving a deep gash. Sango crumbled, gasping. Her hand flew to her bleeding chest, and she glared up at Sesshoumaru before collapsing back on the ground, unconscious.

"Sango!" Kagome shrieked. She rushed over and cradled her fallen friend in her arms. She glared up at the demon and he, uninterested, turned from them to where Inuyasha, who had long since gotten up, was ready to fight.

"Are you well enough to fight, brother?" Sesshoumaru drawled. "That wound I gave you on your back is quite formidable, and I can see you are in pain from the bruise that is undoubtedly forming on your stomach."

"Come on, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha snarled. "Quit yakking—let your sword do the _real_ talking!"

Sesshoumaru glanced over to where Rin and Jaken were hiding. His eyes narrowed and he said, "I do not have time for this. Get off my lands." And, giving his brother a final hit with his youki whip, Sesshoumaru departed with his two companions.

Inuyasha rubbed his singed arm and frowned at his older brother's departing figure. He opened his mouth to yell a curse after him, but Miroku's anguished cry made him turn to where all of his friends were sitting around Sango's motionless form. He dashed over and took a look at the taijiya. Her face was deathly pale and she was covered in blood.

"Sango?" Shippo squeaked. A little fox paw touched her cheek. "Sango!" he repeated, this time more urgently. Beside him, Kirara let out a timid meow and licked her owner's cheek worriedly.

"Sango!" Kagome cried, taking Shippo's place and shaking her friend like mad. "Sango, wake up! You're too strong to die now…"

Miroku, on the other side of the unconscious taijiya, snatched Sango from Kagome's arms and pulled her limp form to him. "Sango," he whispered, brushing a strand of dark hair out of her pale face and examining the wound more closely. "Wake up. Please, for me."

Kagome observed him and thought, _His true feelings for Sango emerge when she is in danger…_

Inuyasha nudged Miroku with his foot. "The only chance we have of Sango surviving is if we go find a doctor—now!" Ignoring Miroku's protests, Inuyasha gathered the limp Sango in his arms and leaped up, calling back, "You guys follow. I'm the fastest one here, so it makes sense that I should be the one to carry her."

"But, Inuyasha," Kagome protested, "your wounds!"

"I'm fine." And with that, he set off jumping through the thick foliage of trees with Sango cradled in his arms.

As Kagome watched, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She brushed it off, thinking, _I'm so selfish, thinking of my own feelings for Inuyasha when Sango is hurt._ She stood up and exclaimed, "Come on, Miroku-sama!"

The houshi immediately jumped up and, after Kagome put Shippo in her arms and Miroku (with much difficulty) grabbed Sango's Hiraikotsu, they leaped on Kirara and set off after Inuyasha.

* * *

Inuyasha glanced at the girl in his arms. "Sango," he breathed, examining the girl's poor condition. He looked away quickly, and concentrated on getting to a village. His eyes lit up when he saw one before him, and he jumped down from the trees, startling all the farmers. They turned to him, bearing their gardening tools.

"Is it human?" one exclaimed in a hushed whisper.

"Nah, can't be," remarked another, sounding frightened.

"Look at its _ears_!" screeched a woman.

"Demon!" a man bellowed. "Demon! Beware!"

Inuyasha sighed and snapped impatiently, "I'm not here to hurt you." He glanced down at Sango. "She needs a doctor. Where…?"

The villagers, frightened and quaking, pointed toward a hut to Inuyasha's right. He nodded curtly in thanks, and dashed in without another word. "Doctor!" he shouted without bothering to look around and notice the obvious: there was a dark-haired man sitting in the front of the room, reading a book. Upon hearing someone come in and cry out, he glanced up and jumped up in surprise when he saw Inuyasha.

"What do you want, demon?" he asked evenly, putting his book down and showing no sign of fear.

Inuyasha saw he was reaching for a dagger in his belt and sighed again. "My friend Sango—she needs help," he said crabbily.

"Oh." The doctor relaxed and ordered, "Put her on the mat." He pointed to a straw mat in the corner. Inuyasha followed his instructions, and the doctor marched over. Kneeling before her, he frowned and examined the wound in her chest. "It's deep," he announced a moment later.

"Of course it is!" Inuyasha growled. "Is that all your good for? Tell me already—is she gonna die?"

Looking disgruntled at Inuyasha's attitude, the doctor closed his eyes briefly and said, "I hope not." Then he rethought his sentence for Inuyasha's sake. "I don't believe so. I'll do my best."

"What's your name?" Inuyasha asked, his anger dissipating.

"My name is Nakamura Akira," the doctor said, not even glancing Inuyasha's way. All his attention was on his patient. "Her breathing is shallow," he said. "How did she get this wound?"

"I don't know," Inuyasha lied, averting his eyes from Nakamura's face to the floor.

* * *

Kagome, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara arrived a few minutes later. They crept in and watched in the same way Inuyasha was: tense, alert… scared.

Hours later, doctor Nakamura stood up and beamed at his visitors. "She's going to be all right," he announced. There was a sound of immense relief, and the man continued, "But, if you had been any later in coming to me, she wouldn't be alive right now."

"Oh, thank you, Nakamura-san!" Kagome sighed, her voice choked with relief. "Inuyasha…?" she said expectantly, turning to the hanyou.

"Yeah, thanks," Inuyasha said grudgingly. But Kagome noticed that his tone was lighter now that he knew Sango was okay, and whether she was the only one who noticed this, she didn't know.

Suddenly, from the mat, there was a soft, feeble groan, and all heads turned.

"Ah," Nakamura observed softly. "It seems she is awake."

Sango glanced weakly up at her friends and smiled feebly. "Houshi-sama… Inuyasha… Shippo-kun… Kagome-chan… Kirara…" she whispered. "What happened?"

"Oh, Sango!" Kagome hurled herself toward her friend, carefully steering clear of the wound. "Thank goodness you're okay…"

Sango happily returned the hug, but her eyes were not on Kagome; they were lingering on Miroku. Her cinnamon eyes smiled at him and his purple ones twinkled with merriment and a noticeable amount of relief. Sango then closed her eyes, remembering what had happened. "Sesshoumaru."

Kagome pulled back and nodded gravely. "I'm going to kill him when I next see him," she vowed.

"Who do I have do thank for saving me?" Sango rasped.

"Well," Miroku said, "Inuyasha, because he brought you here," Sango bowed her head graciously and, in response, Inuyasha just looked away, obviously uncomfortable with the attention. "And Nakamura-san," the houshi continued, "is the doctor who saved you."

She turned to the doctor, and, her voice wavering with emotion, she thanked him.

"You're quite welcome," Nakamura said immediately. "You are still healing—please, feel free to stay at my home until you are well enough to leave." He turned to Inuyasha and the others and said, "I have plenty of room for you too." Smiling, he offered, "Seven days, sir? I would be happy to house you."

"I don't know," Inuyasha said slowly.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo snapped. "You heard the doctor—Sango needs to rest!"

"Shippo's right, Inuyasha," Miroku said. He bowed to the doctor humbly. "We accept your kind offer. Thank you."

Nakamura bowed back and turned to Inuyasha. "I can see you are wounded. There are bandages and medicine in the room if you want to wrap up the wound." Inuyasha nodded and him, and he stood. "Let me show you to your rooms. It is late, you must be tired."

"Of course," Kagome said, standing. Shippo, Inuyasha and Miroku followed suit. "Feel better," Kagome said to Sango as she was led away.

The taijiya smiled at her friend, but Miroku was the last to leave. "I'll see you soon, Sango," he said softly. Someone called his name, and, reluctantly, the houshi departed.

"Here we are, my friends. This is the men's room," Nakamura said minutes later as they stood in front of two doors, gesturing to the shoji on the left, "and miss," he said to Kagome, leading her to the door on the right, "you have this room to yourself."

"Thank you, Nakamura-san." Kagome bowed and bade them all goodnight, disappearing inside the room.

"I shall see you in the morn," Nakamura said to the boys. "And you," he said to Inuyasha, "bandage those wounds!"

"Thank you," Miroku said graciously.

Inuyasha muttered something about 'Don't tell me what to do,' and shuffled inside. Miroku frowned at him and took Shippo inside the room.

Nakamura backed up into the hall and put his fingertips together. "Perfect," he whispered. On his return to the front room where Sango lay resting, the doctor noticed Kirara. She sat by her mistress, and when she saw him, her figure grew into the larger fire cat and she growled at him.

"Well, what do we have here?" Nakamura said in a lilting voice. "A two-tailed fire cat." His voice hardened then: "Get lost, you mangy demon." His foot lashed out toward Kirara, but she avoided it and growled again.

* * *

One week later, on the final day of Sango and the other's stay at the doctor's home, Nakamura woke to a silent house. His guests were still sleeping, but how was his patient? He padded into the front room and saw Sango staring absently at the ceiling, stroking Kirara's head. _That two-tail again!_ Nakamura thought in annoyance. Brushing away his irritation, he leaned over Sango and asked, "Do you think you can stand?"

The taijiya smiled grimly. "Well, let's see." Wrapping the blanket around her, she took Nakamura's hand and slowly and carefully made her way to her feet. Pain struck her chest, and she hissed, but managed to stay standing. The pain subsided, and she sighed in relief. "Um"—she blushed—"Nakamura-san, do you have a place I can wash and change into normal clothes?"

"Of course," he said. The doctor handed Sango her battle gear, which was covered in dirt and blood. "You obviously can't wear this," he remarked. "I'll get you something of my wife's."

"I can't do that!" Sango protested. "Won't she mind?"

"My wife… passed away two years ago," Nakamura said softly, a slow smile on his face.

Sango covered her mouth. "Oh… I—I'm sorry," she stammered.

But he only smiled once again. "It's fine. Here, let me show you to where you can get dressed." He led Sango away and went to awaken Inuyasha and the others. Stopping in front of the boy's room, he gently slid the shoji aside.

"Rise, my friends, and greet the morning sun," he said pleasantly. "Sango-san has woken and I will make breakfast." With that, he left them to dress, and told Kagome the same thing, expecting them all to meet him for breakfast. Nakamura then returned to where Sango was patiently waiting.

In the boy's room, Inuyasha propped himself up on his elbows and exclaimed, "Man, what a freak. All that guy ever did was smile."

"He saved Sango's life!" Shippo retorted angrily.

"He must be bottling up his emotions," Miroku said.

In another room of the fairly large house, the doctor was showing Sango a whole closet full of beautiful kimonos. She gasped and fingered a beautiful red silk one. "They're so beautiful," she breathed. She whirled around to Nakamura and said desperately, "Too beautiful, Nakamura-san! I could never wear these! I'll get them bloody! Do you have a simple yukata I could wear?"

"Yes, of course. They are at the back," he said softly. "I will wash your clothes for you, and this evening, I will return them." Nakamura smiled at Sango and continued, "The bath house is right outside this door"—he pointed out the open window to where a separate bathhouse was visible—"feel free to have a bath. You may change in the bathhouse." That said, he bowed and left her.

Sango smiled at his retreating form and sifted past all the beautiful dresses, and found a plain white yukata nestled in the back. She took in into the bathhouse where she happily scrubbed off the remains of the blood and grime. Sango gave her hair a good wash too, and when she was satisfied she stepped out of the bath. She put the yukata on and tied her hair in a ponytail just below the base of her neck. Finally ready, the taijiya made her way back to Miroku and the others.

Sango stepped back into the room went back to the straw mat. She sat down and heard her friends tramping into the room. Soon, Nakamura entered bearing food and drink.

* * *

That evening, Sango and the others turned to Nakamura and bowed low. "Thank you," Sango, feeling much better and dressed in her pink and green kimono, murmured.

He bowed to them in response and watched them leave. "Fare you well!" he called.

Outside, as they were walking, Inuyasha suggested, "So shall we give the Western Lands another go?"

_"Are you crazy?"_ Kagome exploded. "Sango isn't totally healed yet!" Just then, she noticed Sango wasn't with them. Kagome, confused, looked around. "Sango?" Then she heard the distressed whine of Kirara from behind her. She whirled around and found that Sango had collapsed. Miroku and Kirara were bent over her. "Sango!" she shrieked, rushing over. Inuyasha followed swiftly behind her.

Sango struggled to get to her feet, using the Hiraikotsu that Miroku had handed her as a walking stick. "I… I'm okay," she said. "My chest hurts. It's the first day since I was wounded that I've been active, that's all." She smiled weakly at them and then continued speaking, "I agree with Inuyasha. We don't have any time to lose. Come on."

"But, Sango…" Kagome protested.

"No buts." As she said this, the taijiya took a step forward, but stumbled. Kagome frowned at her, but Sango brushed it off. "Come on."

Kagome sighed; she knew that there was no convincing Sango otherwise. "Okay," she said finally. "As long as you ride on Kirara. Deal?"

This time it was Sango who sighed. "All right." Kirara changed into her big form and Sango slowly climbed up onto the cat demon's back. "Let's go, then," she said.

They set off immediately, Miroku walking by Sango's side, Shippo cradled in Kagome's arms, Kagome walking alongside Inuyasha, every so often glancing at him. Inuyasha refused to face her, but you could see his eyes flickering to the side every so often.

Soon they were at the same river, and, after looking around carefully, Miroku climbed up on Kirara and he, the cat demon and Sango leaped across. Inuyasha took Kagome and Shippo over and then hit the ground tense, ready for the attack.

"Phew," Kagome sighed when Sesshoumaru didn't appear. "He must be somewhere else."

"Don't speak too soon," Inuyasha warned, glancing around. "He could be anywhere, hiding in the shadows."

Miroku took a step forward and looked back at Sango. "I'll protect you, Sango," he promised.

Sango felt herself blushing. "T-thank you, houshi-sama," she stuttered. "But, I can fight too. It doesn't matter that I'm hurt…"

"It does, Sango. Don't be stupid!" he snapped. The taijiya was taken aback, and the houshi's voice softened. "You're really hurt, and if Sesshoumaru attacks you again"—his voice wavered precariously—"I don't know what would happen…"

"Or more specifically," Kagome cut in pointedly, "what _he_ would do if something happened." She smiled in satisfaction when she saw the crimson blush spread across the faces of her friends.

Inuyasha coughed to get their attention, and said, "We should go before my brother _does_ come! Kagome?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?" she said pleasantly, stepping toward him. For some reason, Kagome thought it was the time that he might say something romantic, like 'I love you Kagome! Kikyo is old news!'

Obviously, Kagome thought wrong, and became angry when she heard what he actually had to say.

"What was the name of that demon again?"

"Wh-what?" Kagome exclaimed. She growled deep in her throat and muttered angrily, "Tohyama."

"Thanks," Inuyasha said, beginning to walk away.

Furious, Kagome whispered, "Inuyasha?" He turned back toward her and she shouted, "SIT, BOY!"

Inuyasha crashed painfully to the ground, and, as he lifted himself out of the dirt and onto his feet, he snarled, "What was that for?"

"Hmph!" Kagome exclaimed, turning her back on the hanyou.

Sango sighed as she looked at her two friends up ahead. It seemed as if they would never get together… with Kagome constantly sitting Inuyasha (for no apparent reason), and Inuyasha being his regular, dense self… it was improbable, but not impossible.

"Come on, you two. I agree with Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru might be here any second," Miroku said.

"Why can't Sesshoumaru just kill Tohyama?" Shippo whined from Kagome's arms. "These are his lands, so why can't he do it?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha muttered, turning to Shippo, an element of boredom in his voice, "but Sesshoumaru probably wouldn't really care if it killed humans or demons or anything."

"That's true," Sango sighed. "Stupid, selfish beast."

"Be nice, taijiya," a cold, growling voice warned.

Kagome let out a loud, scared gasp as Inuyasha's half-brother stepped out of the shadows.

"I thought I told you to leave," he snarled at Inuyasha. Then, the great taiyoukai turned to Sango with an air of mild surprise. "You have somehow survived the two deadly attacks I bestowed on you…" He stared at the human and asked, "What _are _you?"

"Just a regular _human_ taijiya!" Sango snapped from her position on Kirara.

"Huh," Sesshoumaru said simply. _The exterminator… she is unlike any human I have ever seen. Her aura is very strong, and she burns with a fierce intensity. But… she is no longer wearing her battle gear. _His golden orbs narrowed_. Now, she is simply like weak, delicate humans in all their flattering finery._

Sango glared at the dog demon and unhitched the Hiraikotsu. Letting out a bellow, she hurled it at Sesshoumaru, but he dodged it. As soon as Sango had thrown her boomerang, she regretted it. The wound in her chest throbbed painfully, and she bent over Kirara, groaning.

_She's still hurt,_ Sesshoumaru thought.

"Sango, no!" Miroku said urgently. "Do not aggravate your wound. We'll fight on our own. You rest."

"No!" Sango protested.

"Yes," Miroku said firmly. "You stay. Inuyasha will take care of him."

"Inuyasha will take care of me, will he? Be not a fool, houshi," Sesshoumaru growled. He turned to face his brother, who had drawn his sword. Sesshoumaru let out a wisp of an arrogant smirk, and drew the Tokijin. He charged toward his brother with one word on his lips: "Die."

Inuyasha's look became almost feral, and he determinedly blocked the oncoming blow. The hanyou struck at the great and terrible taiyoukai, and watched in satisfaction as his thrust hit.

Sesshoumaru stared down at his cracked armor and raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Was that supposed to be painful?" he drawled.

Inuyasha let out an angry growl and went to strike again, but Kagome put a hand on his shoulder. Gulping, she took a tentative step forward, thinking, _There must be another way to do this._

"Kagome?" Inuyasha exclaimed, watching as she walked toward his brother. His voice took on a more urgent tone: "What are you doing, fool!"

"S… Sess… Sesshoumaru," she stammered, her body quaking, her voice shaking. "We're looking for a demon." Her voice slowly gained confidence, and she continued, "It's called Tohyama, and it has been killing and killing. We have come to stop it."

"Tohyama," Sesshoumaru repeated. "I have heard of this demon," he announced. "I will take care of it, but right now…" The taiyoukai took a menacing step forward, in the direction of Inuyasha.

"Can't you guys just talk civilly?" Kagome snapped.

"No," Inuyasha muttered.

Sesshoumaru sighed impatiently, and said something most unlike him: "I am listening."

"The only reason we are on your land," Sango said softly, taking a pained step off Kirara, ignoring Miroku's protests, "is to kill Tohyama."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and let out a noise of contempt. "I highly doubt any of you will be able to injure this 'Tohyama', no less kill it." Sango made an angry sound, but Sesshoumaru ignored her and continued, "But, I will allow you to stay on my lands until this creature is dead. You save me a job to do. But, should you defeat this creature and live"—Sesshoumaru focused on his brother—"I will be back to kill you."

Concealing his surprise, Inuyasha snorted and said, "Yeah, like we would come to this dump of our own free will."

Sesshoumaru let out a guttural growl, and Inuyasha stopped. "Farewell for now, little brother," the taiyoukai said. The demon's eyes strayed to Sango, but he looked away quickly and departed.

_TBC_


	2. A Stranger Enters

**Chapter 2: A Stranger Enters**

On the fifth day of the trip, Sango got bored of being injured. She refused, against Kagome and Miroku's better judgment, to ride on Kirara. The taijiya walked with the rest, often stopping to catch her breath. This infuriated Inuyasha; it made the trip go even slower.

Kagome sighed impatiently. "It's been five days and no sign of Tohyama," she whined. "Where is he?"

"This is only a small portion of the Western Lands," Inuyasha said. "We have a lot more territory to search. Hopefully this demon isn't too far…"

The two heard voices behind them, and they glanced back past Shippo and a small Kirara, who were playing, to where Miroku was helping Sango stand.

"Maybe we should rest for the night," Miroku suggested. Sango was leaning on him heavily, very short of breath.

Sango glanced up at him and smiled. "Yeah, that would be good."

Inuyasha sighed but agreed grudgingly after looking around and finding that Sango was not the only one in need of rest. There were deep bags under Miroku's eyes, Shippo was half-asleep and Kagome's face was streaked with dirt and fatigue.

"Okay," Kagome said in relief. She walked to a small clearing in the woods they were tramping through and said, "Let's camp here."

"Okay," Sango said happily. She stumbled over to a large tree—the one Inuyasha would sleep in that night—and curled herself up in the roots, instantly asleep. Kirara padded over to her and lay down next to her head.

Miroku followed her, watching her sleep with affection in his eyes. Without turning around, he whispered, "Kagome."

"Yes, Miroku?" Kagome leaped to attention, smiling with satisfaction when she saw where his eyes rested. "What is it? Do you need something?"

"May I have a blanket?"

"Oh, sure!" Kagome dug a soft linen blanket out of her backpack, and watched ecstatically as Miroku gently lay it down over Sango's sleeping form. Inwardly shouting herself hoarse over the display, she walked over to Inuyasha, who had started a fire. "Do you need a blanket?" she asked him.

"No," he grumbled. "Of course not." She frowned at him, and he looked at his toes. "I'll take first watch," he muttered moodily, jumping up into the upper branches of a the sleep Sango was sleeping under.

Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "If you want." She turned back to Miroku and the sleeping Sango and saw that he had placed himself next to her. Smiling, the futuristic miko made a bed for herself and Shippo next to the fire. "Goodnight," she said sleepily.

Miroku, already half asleep, made a small grumbling noise and turned away from the firelight.

"Goodnight, Kagome," Shippo squeaked.

Sango was already asleep, so obviously she wouldn't answer. But, Inuyasha, on the other hand, did respond a moment later. His reply was a reluctant but sweet, "Yeah, goodnight, Kagome."

* * *

The next day, the group came across something new. As they were walking in a large stretch of uninhabited planes, they came across a young man unconscious on the ground.

Sango rushed as fast as she could to examine him, and found that he was a handsome young man of her age, with short brown hair, wearing a loose blue gi and a ratty black hakama—but he was hurt. His left arm was bleeding and torn, so Kagome, with her first aid kit, bandaged his arm tightly. The girls insisted that they stayed till he woke up, and Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippo couldn't refuse.

About an hour later, the man awoke to Sango and Kagome's kind faces. He sat up and they backed away, giving him room to breathe. The young man glanced around and then looked at his arm in amazement.

"My arm…" he muttered. "Who?" He gazed at Kagome and Sango and they smiled, both taking note of his shining emerald eyes.

"My friend and I patched up your arm," Kagome explained quietly.

The young man dashed forward and clasped Kagome's hand, and Inuyasha let out a low growl. "Arigatou!" he gushed. Then he turned to Sango and grabbed her hands. This time, Inuyasha had to hold the usually composed monk back. "Domo arigatou gozaimasu!"

Blood rushed to Sango's cheeks. "I—it's fine. What is your name, sir?"

"My name is Kyo," the man said. He smiled happily and thanked them once again before asking the girls their names.

"I'm Sango," said the taijiya.

"I'm Kagome!" exclaimed the futuristic miko.

"Yeah," snarled a disgruntled Inuyasha, "and I'm Inuyasha." The hanyou stepped forward and put a possessive hand on Kagome's shoulder.

A flush spread over the 15-year-old's face. _Maybe he really does have feelings for me, _she thought hopefully.

"I'm Miroku," the houshi growled. He strode up and plunked himself down next to Sango. The monk grabbed her hands but, to his surprise, she pulled away and stared at him stonily.

"Hmph," Sango said, turning back to Kyo. _Houshi-sama, if you can flirt with every girl on the planet, then you do not own me! _She meant this, but another part of her wanted to admit that it was very sweet.

Kyo smiled at his helpers and bowed to the ground. "I owe you my life; I am in your debt, thank you."

"So," Inuyasha said, "how did you get hurt?"

Kyo's expression became serious. "It was a demon… a demon of the likes I have never seen before."

Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged a glance. "Tohyama," they said in unison.

"Toh… yama?" Kyo repeated. "Is that the demon's name?"

"Yes," Miroku said. "We're out to kill it."

"You are?" Kyo gasped. Before anyone could say anything more, the young man lunged forward and grabbed Miroku's hands. "Please, sir," he begged animatedly, "take me with you in your quest for this beast!"

Miroku glanced down at the young man and looked in Inuyasha's direction, a skeptical expression on his face. Inuyasha slowly shook his head, indicating no, but Kyo saw it and his emerald orbs hardened.

The young man's expression changed from a pleading look to an enraged one. "You two do not like me solely for the reason that I held the hands of your women?" His eyes narrowed angrily and he snorted, scoffing, "It is a poor excuse. My family and my betrothed was slaughtered by this monster and I want to get revenge!"

"Oh, Kyo-san," Sango murmured sympathetically.

Inuyasha walked up to the kneeling man, inspected him, and snorted. "He'll only slow us down."

"No!" Kyo protested. "In my village—which is no more, thanks to Tohyama—I was the top swordsman!"

"All right," Inuyasha said as Kyo stood up. Both took out their swords. "Let's see how good you are."

"No," Sango interrupted. "Inuyasha, don't. You'll clobber him. I'll… fight. Houshi-sama," he turned to her attentively, apprehension at the thought of her fighting clear in his purple eyes, "will you bring me my sword?"

"But, Sango," Miroku protested, voicing his obvious thoughts. "You cannot fight. You're still injured…"

"I don't care!" Sango said sharply. Miroku opened his mouth to dry again, but sighed in defeat when he realized it was pointless. So the monk obliged and brought Sango the katana. She took it, unsheathed it, and got into a defensive stance.

"But you're a lady! I could never fight a lady!" Kyo sputtered, immediately sheathing his sword.

"I'm a taijiya," Sango said.

"You're injured!"

"I'm fine," Sango assured him. "Don't worry, Kyo-san." He, obviously quite uncomfortable, gave in and hesitantly lunged at her. At first it was half-hearted, but then as she continued to block every blow, he stopped holding back and went at it with everything he had. By observing him like that, everyone could see that Kyo was very talented. But the young man immediately stopped the battle when Sango paused to cough violently and clutch her healing wound, leaning on her sword for support.

"Sango-san," Kyo exclaimed, rushing over. Miroku frowned and pushed him to the side, taking the spot that Kyo had been running for.

"Sango," Miroku said, touching the taijiya's hair. "Are you all right?"

Sango blushed and stuttered, "Y-yes, houshi-sama." She straightened and told Kyo, smiling slightly, "You are excellent."

He bowed his head modestly. "Thank you, Sango-san," he uttered. Glancing nervously from Inuyasha to Miroku, he questioned, "Does this mean I pass the test? May I travel with you in your search for Tohyama?"

It was obvious that Inuyasha would be the one to make this decision, and all eyes flew to him immediately. He shrugged, shifted his weight to the other foot and back again, and muttered, "Whatever."

Kyo smiled and bowed once again. "Thank you so much. I will get revenge for Akari," he vowed.

After a brief moment of respectful silence for the dead, Kagome smiled and exclaimed energetically, "Well, let's go, then. We've got a demon to find!"

* * *

Many days passed with absolutely no sign of Tohyama. The group was tired and hungry and the only one in high spirits was Kyo, and he was vexing the others greatly with his optimism.

"Kagome-san," Kyo sang. "Do you think we'll meet up with Tohyama soon?"

Kagome sighed impatiently and snapped, "Kyo-san, for the one thousandth time, I don't know."

He frowned at her lack of energy and turned to Sango and opening his mouth to ask the same question. The taijiya held up a pale hand and said wearily, "I don't know either."

Kyo relaxed for a while before turning to Shippo, sitting in Kagome's arms. "Hey, Shippo-kun," he said cheerily. "What are you thinking about?"

Shippo sighed and fought back the urge to turn away from their new companion and go to sleep. "Sleeping," he muttered, swallowing a yawn. "And finding the demon."

"Me too," Kyo agreed, grinning from ear to ear.

The group fell silent for a while, and all avoided Kyo's glance, for fear that he might start a conversation. They couldn't take much more of his optimism…

"Hey, Kyo-san," Kagome exclaimed suddenly minutes later, breaking the silence and accidentally jostling Shippo, who had almost dozed off. "I didn't see any ruins of a village—how did you end up in that field?"

"Ah…" Kyo seemed strangely taken aback, but it was only a passing emotion in his face. Then he became serious and said gravely, "I tried to fight Tohyama, but I failed—it was too powerful! After seeing my family and my wife-to-be ripped to shreds and my village destroyed, I staggered away and collapsed where you found me."

A proper conversation stopper.

"Oh," Kagome said softly, not sure what else to say.

Inuyasha stiffened and held out an arm to stop the group. His big amber eyes darted around attentively and his suspicions proved to be true when his older half-brother stepped out in front of them.

Kyo's eyes narrowed. "You said that Tohyama is a shape-shifter—is this it?" he whispered to Sango.

"No," she replied quietly, shaking her head. "That is Inuyasha's older brother Sesshoumaru… the one who gave me"—she gestured to her chest, which was looking much better—"this."

Kyo's eyes widened. "That bastard," he muttered.

Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and stepped toward Sesshoumaru, but the taiyoukai's eyes were not on him, but Sango. He watched her, no longer bent over in pain. _She is almost… strong,_ he thought before he could stop himself. But then the taiyoukai came to his senses andshook those thoughts from his head just as a young man stepped out in front of Sango.

"Get away from Sango-san, you vile demon!" Kyo shouted.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. There was something strange about him… "Human," he said urgently, to Sango. "This man—"

"Sesshoumaru!" Forgetting their deal, Inuyasha shouted, "Did you come to fight, or what?" But then Inuyasha saw, to his surprise, that Sesshoumaru stood in between Sango and Kyo, snarling. The taiyoukai's teeth were bared ferociously, and he was ignoring Sango's desperate cries of, "Stop!"

He was shielding Sango, protecting her. Protecting a human.

"Sesshoumaru, what are you doing?" Sango shrieked. "Stop it!" _He's protecting me, _the taijiya thought in shock.

Sesshoumaru whirled around to stare at her, and his eyes darted between Sango and Kyo. He then scowled and leaped into the air. They all watched him soar away, his pelt streaming behind him.

Sango shook her head in confusion as he became first a speck, and then disappeared entirely. "What was that about?" she wondered aloud.

Kyo glanced at her warily, but shrugged his shoulders after a moment. "Um, Sango," he began meekly after working up the courage, having had an inkling of what the reaction might be, "are you sure that you're not his… his mate, or something?"

"What!" all of them shrieked. Even Kirara meowed in disbelief. It was just the reaction Kyo had half suspected.

"M-Mate to Sesshoumaru?" Sango stammered. "Are you crazy?"

"Well, it's just that he seemed very protective of you."

"That's true," Sango mused. "That was strange."

* * *

That evening, in the spot they had chosen as their resting place, Sango lay curled up in her blanket. She could still picture Sesshoumaru standing in front of her, snarling on her behalf. And then Kyo's innocent words: Are you sure you're not his mate or something? Sango shuddered. Mate to a demon? No way. And the kind of demon that her father had always told her were the most dangerous, no less. No way. No way in hell.

"Sango?" Miroku's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Yes, houshi-sama?" Sango replied, looking up at him from her place near the fire.

"I'm sorry"—his violet eyes held a copious amount of regret—"I'm sorry that I wasn't there to protect you when Sesshoumaru went mad earlier." He squatted down next to her and grabbed her hands.

"That's the strange thing," Sango muttered. "Sesshoumaru wasn't trying to attack me… he was _protecting_ me."

Miroku shook his head in confusion. "It's so strange… I can't make head or tails of that demon." He paused, looked behind to see if anyone was eavesdropping, and then continued in a hushed whisper, "But… why Kyo? Do you think he's dangerous?"

Sango shrugged and looked up to see Inuyasha standing in front of Kyo, an angry look on his face. "Kyo, why did my brother protect a human—of all things—from _you_?" he demanded, hands folded over his chest as he asked the very question Miroku had been pondering.

Kyo looked miserable, and cleared his apparently constricted throat. Moisture gathered in his eyes, and he said, with much difficulty, "The demon's scent must still be on me! That beast!" With that said, he gathered dirt in his hands and rubbed it desperately on his skin in an rash attempt to free himself from the scent of Tohyama.

"Kyo-san!" Kagome exclaimed, stepping forward but immediately pulling back when Kyo's head snapped up, eyes wild.

"I must get this scent off!" he exclaimed desperately. "There is a stream nearby—I am going to bathe! I must rid myself of this repulsive stench—this stench of blood and death!" Without saying another word, Kyo sprinted off toward the stream.

"That poor man," Sango said sympathetically, shaking her head.

An hour later, it was time to sleep, but Kyo had not yet returned. Kagome walked a bit toward the stream, and when she could see his outline, which was still washing desperately at his body, she called as loud as she dared, "Kyo-san—we're going to sleep. Come on back."

"No," his voice floated back. "I'll return later, Kagome-san."

She shrugged. "Sure," she said, and turned back. Tramping back to the camp to find everyone asleep, including Inuyasha, who was supposed to take first watch, she settled down next to the hanyou and was instantly asleep, not even considering that she should take the watch in Inuyasha's stead.

About an hour later, Kagome awoke with a start to the sound of someone weeping. She sat up and blinked in the darkness. "Hello?" she whispered, her voice thick and raspy. No answer, just more crying. "Hello?" she tried again. Rubbing her eyes to wake herself up a bit more, Kagome stood and began to walk in what she assumed was the direction that the crying was coming from.

It was some way away from the campsite, and halfway there she realized that it could be a trap. _But, what if it's not? What if it's a real person who's crying? _Despite the darker prospect, Kagome walked on, doing what she always did: pushing her rational side aside, and let her heart take hold. She began to jog as the crying got closer, and more hysterical. And then she began to sprint, catching sight of a hunched over figure in the grass. The heart-wrenching sobs were emanating from this creature.

"Hello?" she whispered. Kagome was frightened now; frightened that this might be a demon in disguise. "Hello?" she repeated.

The sobs quieted. A voice cut through the darkness, a wavering voice that Kagome recognized. "K-Kagome-san?" it said.

She gasped. "Kyo-san!" Rushing forward, Kagome knelt by the man and asked, "Oh god… what's happened!"

"N-nothing," he said, sniffing back another cry of anguish. "It's nothing, Kagome-san. Did I… did I wake you?"

"Not to worry, Kyo-san," Kagome said quickly. She reached forward and put a tentative but comforting hand on his shoulder. "Haven't you slept? Why are you crying?"

"I may have washed the smell of the demon from my body… but my mind will be forever stained," he said, his voice cracking on the word 'forever'. Kagome began to speak, but he stopped her by putting a finger to her lips. "Hush. I have not answered your other question." She nodded, and he began to explain, every so often he would let out a squeak, as if trying to suppress a sob.

"If you truly wish to know, I will tell you… on the day that I lost everything, I was visiting my betrothed, Akari."

"_Akari-chan! Akari-chan!" Kyo called as he entered the home of his beloved._

"_Kyo!" a woman rushed out of the back room, welcoming him with a delighted smile._

"She was a beautiful woman, with long black hair and blue eyes. We were laughing together, rejoicing that we were to get married on the morrow… rejoicing that our child would be born 7 months after."

"She was pregnant?" Kagome gasped.

"Yes. And we were preparing… it was so wonderful, the thought of our child—"

Kagome's mind strayed to her beloved hanyou, but she brushed the thought aside to concentrate on Kyo.

"—that we were distracted. We did not hear the screams of the villagers outside her home until it was too late."

_Akari's hair flowed down her back in a silky black wave. Her sapphire eyes twinkled merrily and she smiled ecstatically at Kyo. "I cannot believe that we are to be wed tomorrow!" she exclaimed, running up to him._

_He grabbed her hands and pulled her close. "We'll be together… finally," he whispered. "And our child…"_

_Her smile widened, and she said, "I am to be a mother, and you a father, in just seven months." She giggled girlishly and Kyo kissed her._

_"I love you, my Akari," Kyo murmured when they broke apart, resting his forehead against hers._

_Suddenly a terrified scream cut through the air, destroying the peaceful atmosphere._

_Kyo's eyes widened. "What's happening?"_

"Akari and I ran outside, just in time to," his voice faltered, "just in time to see my family—my father, my sisters, my brother—ripped to shreds. Tohyama grabbed them and just tore their limbs from their body like he was tearing the wing off a fly."

_Kyo and Akari raced outside to a bloody sight. Everywhere, on the ground, thrown on roofs, hanging from various things, were bodies. Bodies with missing limbs and severed heads. Kyo saw nothing dangerous, but ordered Akari to stay behind him. Suddenly a monstrous creature rose up from behind a house. It had many tentacles, and a grotesque head in the center of it all. In it's jaws, it held something—no, Kyo realized, some_**body**.

_His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach as he realized who it was. The creature held in its jaws Kyo's younger brother Yukito._

"_Yukito!" Kyo bellowed._

_Yukito, holding his left hand to the spot where his right arm used to be, used his last ounce of strength to glance up and mouth, "Brother…" Before the demon's jaws clamped down on him, silencing him forever._

"_YUKITO!" Kyo screamed. Tears poured down his face and Akari stifled a sob behind him. "Wicked demon!" Kyo roared, brandishing his katana at him._

_The demon let out a horrible croak of a chuckle and reached inside the hut it had been hiding behind. Kyo then realized, with a terrible jolt, that it was his family's home, and bellowed, "Father! Sisters!"_

_One by one they were picked out of the hut, screaming. Kyo's father managed to jam his sword deep in the tentacle that was holding him before another grabbed his sword arm and ripped it cleanly off his body. He stared in astonishment as his arm was popped into the demon's mouth where his son had been a moment before, and then he started to scream. Blood poured from the wound, and then another tentacle wrapped around his neck, and with a terrible tearing sound, the tentacle pulled upwards and tore the head from the body._

"_Father!" one of Kyo's sisters screamed. "FATHER!"_

_Kyo stood there in shock, unable to move, unable to scream. The tears continued to come, but he had no control over his body. He saw through fuzzy vision the demon taking hold of his sisters and snapping their necks as their last screams echoed in his ears._

"I remember being in shock, unable to move, and then I remember feeling pain—so much pain—in my arm. Then I saw… that it had taken my Akari in it's hold and…"

_Finished with Kyo's family, the demon turned on Akari and her beloved. Akari screamed and clutched at Kyo's motionless figure, and the demon swiped at them. A tentacle struck Kyo's arm and burned as if it was made of acid. Akari screamed again, but Kyo was still shocked into silence. His whole family massacred before his eyes… he wanted to wake up from this nightmare in Akari's arms, surrounded by his siblings and his father. But then Kyo saw that it had taken the terrified and screaming Akari in it's tentacle, and she was writhing in pain from the burning sensation._

Kyo stopped and closed his eyes. Burying his face in his hands, he murmured, "I don't think I can go on."

"It's all right, Kyo-san," Kagome said gently. "If it is too much to continue, then—"

"No," Kyo decided, "I shall… I shall go on." She nodded and he said, voice shaking slightly, "Seeing Akari in pain made me move again. I charged, and she screamed for me, and another tentacle came… and stabbed her stomach."

_It shocked Kyo into moving again._

"_Akari!" Kyo bellowed, dashing toward the black tentacle that held her._

"_Kyo!" she screamed. She reached out to him, and the tentacle squeezed her. She cried out, the tears streaming down her delicate face._

"_So this girl is pregnant," the voice of the demon croaked._

_Kyo stiffened. "How do you know, demon?" he shouted._

"_Every demon within miles can hear the infant's heartbeat," the demon growled. One of its tentacles flew toward Akari's stomach._

"_AKARI! _**NOOO**_!" Kyo screamed, making a mad dash to stop the tentacle. "STOP!"_

_It pierced Akari's stomach. Blood spurted everywhere, and Akari went limp in the demon's hold._

"_And now," the demon continued jovially, "the heartbeat is no more."_

_Kyo dropped to his knees. "Akari," he whispered. "Our child… no!" His fists pounded the ground._

_The monster flung Akari toward him, and in a desperate lunge, he caught her. The wound in her stomach was deep, and blood seemed to be _everywhere.

"_The poison on my tentacle – as it burned your arm, it will burn the woman's insides," the demon laughed._

"_Monster!" Kyo screamed as he clutched his dying love to him. "Oh, Akari," he whispered, looking down at her pale form._

_Her eyes fluttered open. "Kyo," she whispered. Her hand came up to touch his cheek. She smiled feebly. "I'm… sorry…"_

_Her hand dropped to the dirt._

_Kyo's eyes widened. His mouth opened and closed several times, making silent words with Kyo's half-formed thoughts. He shook her, spoke to her, did everything he thought of to get her to speak again. But she was gone._

Kagome's hand came up to her mouth. "Oh, Kyo-san," she murmured. "How horrible… why haven't you told the others?"

He shook his head and grabbed her hands. "Kagome-san, I beg you—do not tell them. I…" He glanced away, back toward the stream. "I do not want to seem weak in their eyes."

Kagome hesitated, and then nodded firmly.

Kyo squeezed her hands gratefully, and stood, pulling Kagome up with him. "We should probably go back to the campsite," he said, trying to sound normal, "before someone wakes up and finds us gone."

Just then there was a roar from the direction of the camp.

"_KAGOME!"_

Kagome stiffened visibly. "That was Inuyasha!" she exclaimed. She dashed back to the campsite with Kyo at her heels. When Kagome reached the campground, she stifled a laugh. Inuyasha was sniffing every tree, every leaf, every branch, obviously for her.

"Kagome!" he bellowed again.

Sango and Miroku were sitting up and squinting into the darkness that surrounded their camp now that their fire had died away. "Inuyasha, I'm sure that Kagome has just gone for a… walk, or something," Sango said tiredly, still half-asleep.

Kagome stepped into the dim orange light of their dying campfire and giggled. "No!" she said. "I'm right here!"

Kyo stepped out as well, and made toward his newfound friends with a weak smile on his face. The only response he earned from Inuyasha was a fierce glare as the hanyou all but ran forward and enveloped Kagome in a huge hug.

The schoolgirl's face reddened, and she squeaked, "Inu… Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha's arms tightened around the girl, and he muttered into her hair, "God, Kagome, don't ever scare me like that… I thought you were hurt… or kidnapped… or worse." He left it at that until he pulled back, staring her in the face, clawed hands resting lightly on her shoulders. "Kagome," he said, in a rougher voice, "why were you away from the campsite in the dead of night—with _him_?" The hanyou jerked his head toward Kyo, a scowl on his face.

"I was… I was…" Kagome faltered. _I can't tell them Kyo was confiding in me! I promised I wouldn't say a word,_ she thought, panicked.

"I was coming back from washing," Kyo interrupted her, "and dropped my"—he stopped and bit his lip for a moment before coming up with something that sounded only vaguely convincing—"… shirt. I cried out, and Kagome-san kindly came and helped me."

"Huh," Inuyasha said simply. He focused on Kagome, eyebrow raised. "Is this true?"

Kagome nodded wildly. "Yes!" she said quickly.

Inuyasha released the girl, eyeing her warily. "You're sure?"

"Yes, Inuyasha," Kagome said hurriedly, head still bobbing energetically up and down. She yawned and fanned one delicate hand over her mouth to emphasize her next words: "I'm tired. Let's go back to sleep."

Everyone agreed readily, except the still suspicious Inuyasha, who positioned himself in a tree and took the job of watching over his comrades, as usual.

* * *

The next day, Kagome suddenly stiffened as she walked, stopping all her companions. "I sense a jewel shard," Kagome said, voice hushed. "It's approaching—fast!"

"Jewel shard?" Kyo questioned aloud. "Do you mean the Shikon Jewel?"

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha growled, annoyed that no one had told Kyo of their quest. "We're looking for the shards of the sacred jewel so—"

"So you can become a full demon, hanyou-san?" Kyo questioned, a lilting quality to his voice. Inuyasha glared, inwardly wondering how Kyo knew that he was a hanyou, and Kyo continued, his voice hardening, "You'll lose your soul and become ruthless and bloodthirsty."

Miroku, Sango, Kagome and Shippo looked on with apprehension. Inuyasha was touchy about this subject; they felt it was foolhardy to bring it up. Even Kirara shook her tiny head.

"What!" Inuyasha snarled, turning on him. "I won't lose my soul! I'll be just fine!"

"Oh?" Kyo taunted. "Who's to say that you won't devour your comrades?"

Kagome opened her mouth and exclaimed, "Inuyasha, Kyo, calm down." But before she could say more, a whirlwind appeared on the end of the group's vision and, within a few seconds, Koga the wolf demon stood before Kagome.

"Kagome!" he exclaimed, clasping her hands, his blue eyes wide and sparkling.

Kyo sidled up to Sango and whispered, "This—this can't be Tohyama! Is it?"

Sango sighed. Absently, she wondered how many times they would have to go through this. "No. This is Koga the wolf demon."

"Get away from her, you wimpy wolf!" Inuyasha snarled, pushing himself between Kagome and Koga.

Koga's lip curled. "Oh, look," he drawled, "if it isn't the mangy mutt."

"Look," Inuyasha growled, "Kagome is not interested! Don't make me have to spell it out for you, moron." Behind him, Kagome went pink with pleasure. "So why don't you do us all a favor, and leave?"

Koga let out a guttural growl, and shook his head. "I'll have you know that seeing Kagome is not the only reason I came to you." Inuyasha just glared at him, and Koga, looking annoyed, continued to say, "I'm being hunted."

"Because of the jewel shards in your legs?" Kagome asked timidly from behind Inuyasha.

Koga nodded, and Miroku cut in, "By who?"

Koga turned toward the houshi and grimaced. "By that vile wind witch Kagura who slaughtered my men and… a boy…"

Sango's face went chalk white. One soft word escaped her lips. "Kohaku…" Koga gave her a questioning glance, and Sango asked him nervously, "Are you sure that there was a boy?"

Koga frowned again and happened to look up into the sky, where he could see something white approaching rapidly. "You can see for yourself," he said darkly. "They're here."

Kagura, from her feather, looked down and smiled maliciously. "Well," she drawled, "not only have I found Koga, but Inuyasha as well! What luck!" Her crimson eyes focused on Sango. "And the exterminator too? What a treat." She glanced behind to the second figure seated on her feather and hissed discreetly, "Go, Kohaku."

Sango's younger brother leaped down onto the ground in the middle of the group. Everyone tensed, and Kyo, having noticed this, whispered to Sango, "Um… Sango-san… is _this _Toh—"

"That's my brother!" Sango snapped, not bothering to note that this was the third time Kyo had pestered her about this.

Kohaku glanced blankly around, and when he saw Sango, he drew his chain sickle and charged. "No! Kohaku, stop!" Sango shouted desperately. Without her sword to block his weapon, she jumped to the side, but Kohaku's weapon struck her shoulder and left a bloody wound.

"Monster!" Kyo hissed. Wielding his sword, he charged forward, but Sango's eyes widened.

"NOOO!" Sango screamed, launching herself at Kyo and knocking his sword aside. "Stop!"

Forgetting that Kohaku was behind her, Sango didn't watch her back. But Miroku saw what was coming and bellowed, "Sango!" He hurried forward, and, as Kohaku charged, knocked Sango aside. They landed in a heap in the dirt.

Sango, lying on the monk's chest, blushed crimson and picked herself up. "Thanks, houshi-sama," she muttered, immediately looking back to where Kohaku was lumbering slowly toward them. Then she wasted no time returning to the battle, leaving Miroku lying on the ground.

Inuyasha, concentrating on the motionless Kohaku, did not notice Kagura flying toward him from behind, fan ready. But Kyo did, and he acted fast. "Inuyasha!" the young man bellowed, hurling his sword at Kagura. It stuck fast in the ground where the wind witch had been a second before, and stopped her dead in her tracks.

Inuyasha stared at him in astonishment and mouthed a grudging 'Thank you,' before turning to Kagura and drawing the Tetsusaiga. Before he attacked, though, the hanyou glanced around, looking for Koga. To his amazement, Koga had left—Inuyasha looked up just in time to see the swirling wind disappear over the horizon. "Koga," Inuyasha muttered angrily, mostly to himself, "you useless wolf!"

Now inflicted with many minor wounds, Sango was still trying to get to Kohaku without hurting him, and Miroku was trying frantically to get her to stop. But by now Sango was desperate, and she hurled herself forward, wrapping her arms around her brother in a clumsy hug.

Kohaku stiffened, and a voice echoed in his mind. _Kill her. Kill her, Kohaku!_ His mind, though clouded, struggled against the order.

_No! I don't want to kill her, please, Master Naraku, don't make me kill her…_

Sango held tight to her brother and clutched at him. "Kohaku," she croaked. "Don't worry… I'm here now…"

Time seemed as if to stop. Inuyasha stopped in mid-battle; Miroku, Kyo, Shippo, Kirara and Kagome stared as Sango hung drunkenly onto her brother.

_Such devotion,_ Kyo thought in astonishment.

"I'm not giving up on you, Kohaku," Sango said through gritted teeth. She heard the soft clink of Kohaku's chain sickle as he lifted it up to strike, and squeezed her eyes shut. But her hold did not loosen. "I'm not giving up on you!" she repeated determinedly.

Kohaku, struggling on the inside, brought down his weapon, meaning to sink it in Sango's back as he had done so long ago.

"Keh! Stupid kid!" Inuyasha roared, abandoning the frozen, wide-eyed Kagura and charging forward. He knocked the weapon from Kohaku's hand and struck the child in the face. He fell back on the dirt, and Sango glanced up at her savior.

"Inuyasha…?" she said weakly. Bleeding from many different wounds, Sango then fell forward into the dirt next to her brother.

Shippo let out a frightened squeak of, "Oh no! Is she _dead_!" as he had done so long ago.

Kohaku slowly picked himself up and tottered over to Sango. His weapon left behind, the boy dropped numbly to his knees before his sister, ignoring Kagome's screech of "Get away from her!"

Kohaku wasn't going to hurt her. His fingers graced her cheek, and his eyes seemed to clear. "Who… are you?" he asked quietly. Kagome gasped and stepped forward, but the moment was gone. Kohaku's eyes regained emptiness as Naraku praised him. The 11-year-old stood, grabbed his weapon, and without another word, leapt off into the trees, leaving his sister in a bloody heap on the ground.

Kagura shot the group a dirty look and set off after the boy, crowing impatiently, "Kohaku! Wait for me, fool!"

* * *

Sango awoke hours later to find her wounds bandaged and Kohaku long since gone back to Naraku. She laid, eyes wide, on the grass in their resting spot for a long time before she moved into a sitting position, and then slowly stood.

"No, Sango!" Shippo squeaked, trying to push her back down. "Kagome said not to move!" Kirara meowed in agreement.

Sango nodded sluggishly and returned to the grass. "Sorry," she said quietly, sleepily. Her eyes fluttered closed, and Shippo panicked.

"C'mon, Sango!" he squeaked. "If you have enough energy to stand, you can't _die_!"

Sango smiled, but her brown eyes remained closed. "I'm not going to die, Shippo," she said softly, making him jump, as he had not expected her to speak. "Don't worry."

After silence fell and Shippo believed Sango to have fallen back into unconsciousness, Kagome crept up behind Shippo and crouched down next to her friends. "Is Sango okay?" she whispered to the kit.

Shippo, having already sensed Kagome's presence, said, "Yes, she's all right. I think."

Kagome's brow furrowed at Shippo's last sentence. "Sango?" she asked gently.

Sango's large cinnamon orbs opened slowly, revealing that she had been perfectly conscious all that time, and she smiled. "Kagome." The taijiya's voice was feeble, even though her wounds might once have been thought of as slight. Kagome knew it was not her physical injuries that were causing Sango pain; no, she knew it was…

"Kohaku," Sango murmured softly to herself.

Kagome shook her head and looked at Sango. _Yes, _she thought sadly. _Kohaku is the cause of Sango's pain._

Sango's eyes hardened. She recognized the look in Kagome's eyes. She shot up into a sitting position despite her grogginess and snapped, "I don't need your pity, Kagome. And don't you dare"—Sango bristled with anger at the thought—"think that Kohaku is the cause of my misery."

Kagome winced and quickly said, "Sorry, Sango." The words shot out of her mouth, and some would call them insincere, but Sango saw the guilty look splayed across her friend's face, and the taijiya's expression softened, as she had known Kagome long enough to know she was honest.

"I apologize, Kagome," she said, bowing her head. "I shouldn't have gotten angry." Kagome shook her head, and Sango continued in a soft, gentle voice, "Where's Inuyasha and houshi-sama?" After a moments pause, she quickly added, "And Kyo?"

"Um, Inuyasha and Kyo went off to get firewood—Inuyasha is feeling quite bad for being so horrible to Kyo, since he saved Inuyasha's life today." Kagome giggled, glad that the two would probably be getting along better from now on. "But I'm not sure where Miroku-sama went…"

A twig cracked from the entrance to the wood by their right, and Kagome tensed and turned around. She promptly relaxed and smiled when she saw it was Inuyasha, carrying firewood. She stood and took the bundle of wood from Inuyasha's arms and dropped them near Sango, where their evening fire would light in a few hours time.

Then she turned to Inuyasha and inquired, "Where is Kyo? I thought he went with you."

"We split up," Inuyasha said. "He'll probably be back in a little while."

* * *

Sitting on a log deep within the forest, the houshi Miroku sat in deep thought. His eyes were closed, one hand reaching up to stroke his chin in thought. The hand with the cursed Wind Tunnel was grasping his purple robes.

His eyes snapped open as he observed the sun, low in the sky.

_What's going to happen to me?_ he thought suddenly. _Am I going to be sucked in by this accursed hole? Will I find a woman who will agree to bear my child—a child who can seek out Naraku and kill him—or will I be refused till the end of my time? And what about… _His head met his knees in defeat as he came to the person who clouded his mind most often.

_What about Sango? I wonder… will she be the woman who will bear my child?_

A wistful smirk passed across his solemn face. _I don't believe so. She doesn't trust me, _he sighed, _and… she is right not to._

Suddenly something occurred to him, something strange.

_Sango has been getting injured throughout this entire journey. By demons, by Kohaku and by… Sesshoumaru. _Miroku's brow furrowed_. Sesshoumaru… he has been there all along. Could he be somehow involved with Tohyama? Could he and the demon have formed an alliance? Maybe their agreement is that Tohyama slowly kills off all of us, and then Sesshoumaru gets the Tetsusaiga._

_But, is Sesshoumaru still after the Tetsusaiga? After all, he has that evil sword Tokijin… and what would Sesshoumaru get out of the deal? I'm positive he wants to be the one that kills Inuyasha… so what could be their deal? And what do they have against Sango?_

Miroku stood abruptly and tramped back to the campsite, carefully disguising his face so it was no more grave than usual. He entered the campsite a few minutes later and calmly sat next to Sango without saying a single word.

She glanced at him, reached out and gently nudged his shoulder. "Houshi-sama." Her voice was quiet, but serious. "Where were you just now? What were you doing? I was worried."

His answer consisted of only one word: "Thinking."

She noticed the curt tone, and left it alone. Soon, Kagome called, "Dinner!" Sango, grunting with the effort and the pain her wounds were causing her, stood and both herself and Miroku went to meet Kagome around their growing fire. Kyo was nowhere in sight, and Kagome, Shippo and Inuyasha seemed to be waiting for them. When the two sat down next to their friends, Kagome sat on the log opposite them and began to speak.

"We've been thinking, Inuyasha and I," she said calmly. Shippo made an indignant noise and Kagome chuckled. "And Shippo too." She cleared her throat and continued, "Though Inuyasha isn't completely happy about it, Kyo-san _did_ save his life today, and we've decided that maybe—with your consent of course," she added guiltily, "that Kyo-san might join us in our quest for the jewel shards once we defeat Tohyama."

Sango and Miroku's eyebrows rose. For a second, the idea seemed atrocious. But then, after a moments thought, they both realized it made sense. Kyo was a talented fighter, and without him, Inuyasha would not be standing. There was a long silence, broken only by the occasional crackling on the fire when a log burnt to a crisp and spat out orange embers.

"I suppose that would be fine," Miroku said slowly.

"I trust him," Sango said quietly.

"But, wait," Miroku said suddenly. "Kyo doesn't like the idea of Inuyasha becoming full demon. Are you sure he'll agree?"

"There's nothing else he can do," Inuyasha said carelessly and inconsiderately. "His village was destroyed and his family killed by Tohyama. It's not like he can return to someone."

"Shall we offer after dinner?" Kagome asked, sighing at the hanyou's insensitivity. Her friends nodded, and a second later, a confused expression on her face, she said, "Where is Kyo-san, anyway? I thought he was out collecting firewood"—she glanced at the roaring fire—"but it's a bit late now…"

_

* * *

_

In the woods walked a young man with fiery green eyes, carrying a bundle of firewood. It was Kyo.

"I suppose I should go back now," he mused lightly. Smiling, he turned and jogged back toward the camp as gracefully and fast as he could with a big heap of wood in his arms.

Suddenly, Kirara appeared to him from behind a tree. She meowed at him, and he bared his teeth at her.

"Go away," he snarled, his foot lashing out and narrowly missing the fortunate cat demon. He shook his head at her, and they both went back to camp. Kirara scampered ahead, keeping as far away as possible from the young man.

Kyo entered the campsite with a small smile on his face. His new friends were talking in hushed voices, food in their laps. His smile faltered when he saw that a fire was already raging, and he dropped the firewood that had taken him all afternoon to collect as if it was garbage, and walked over to where the food was being served. He was starving.

Kagome stood and handed him his, and he dug in. "This is delicious, Kagome-san!" Kyo said cheerily.

Kagome blushed modestly. "Thank you, Kyo-san." Soon the food had disappeared, and Kagome gulped. It was time. "Kyo-san," she said nervously, hands fidgeting in her lap.

He glanced up from where he had been chatting merrily with Shippo, and smiled at her. "Yes, Kagome-san?" he responded politely.

"We're wondering," Inuyasha asked before Kagome could say a single thing, "if, after Tohyama is dead, you would like to come with us in our search for the Shikon jewel shards?" He shrugged indifferently. "I mean, you've got nothing to lose…"

"Inuyasha!" Sango said sharply. She looked earnestly at Kyo and asked, "Well? What do you think?"

Every single person's gaze was focused on Kyo, and it made him a little uncomfortable. He looked at the ground for a minute or so, and glanced up, a sparkle in his eye. "Why not?" he said as bravely as possible in the face of a prospect like that.

Inuyasha snorted. "You're not hiding the fear in your voice very well."

Kyo flushed. "Well," he said breathlessly, "I know it's going to dangerous, and I'd be a fool if I wasn't a little frightened!"

Miroku nodded. "He's right, Inuyasha," the houshi said, glancing at his stubborn, foolish hanyou friend.

Kagome cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably. "I guess now that you're coming with us," she said, "we should tell you a little about ourselves."

Upon hearing this, Inuyasha gaped at her, as if to say, 'What? You're going to tell him about… _that_?' 'That', of course, was Kagome's ability to travel back and forth between eras.

"I'll start," Kagome said. "I'm… from the future." Kyo gawked at her, and Kagome noted how cheesy the line seemed to be out loud. "I live on an ancient shrine and one day I found a well… and I fell through it, and came out here." She chuckled nervously and sat on her hands to keep herself from twiddling her thumbs and fidgeting in general. "It's a long story, Kyo-san."

"Really?" Kyo asked, obviously and understandably skeptical. "A well? Really?"

Inuyasha, who had closed his eyes, opened one and peeked at Kyo with a frown on his face. "You don't believe a word she's said, do you?"

Kyo laughed. "Am I to believe that Kagome-san actually comes from the future? What kind of fool do you take me for?"

"She does!" Sango and Miroku insisted simultaneously. Miroku grinned at Sango, while she blushed and avoided his gaze.

"Well," Kyo mused, "I suppose it's possible on some level… it would explain all the strange new food I have ever seen… and… your clothes, Kagome-san!"

Kagome smiled and said, "It is true." She turned to Inuyasha and said politely, "Inuyasha, will you please tell Kyo-san about yourself?"

"No."

Kagome's brow furrowed. "Inuyasha, please. This will make us stronger."

"No."

"Yes, Inuyasha," Kagome said firmly.

"No."

The rest of the group followed this argument. Three of them were used to it, but Kyo whispered to Sango in confusion, "Why is Inuyasha-san being such a jerk? Don't he and Kagome-san love each other?"

Unfortunately, Inuyasha overheard Kyo and grasped him by his hair and hoisted him up so the young man could see the hanyou's amber eyes. "What did you just say?" Inuyasha growled.

Kagome sighed in annoyance. "Sit, boy!"

Inuyasha's grip loosened as he crashed into the dirt, leaving a stunned Kyo rather disheveled, but unharmed. The young man then glanced at Kagome warily, and nervously asked, "What was that power, Kagome-san?"

Kagome smiled sheepishly, and another 'sit' rang out when Inuyasha tried to get up. But, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's ankle and pulled her down with him. She landed on his chest, nose-to-nose. Her face went extremely red and she shot up and dusted the dirt off her school uniform. Everyone was staring, and Kagome tried to laugh it off, but it didn't work.

Inuyasha stood a second later. His face was also red, and he stared uncomfortably at his toes.

Kagome shifted her weight from one foot to the other nervously, and, in order to banish the embarrassment, began to explain, "This old priestess put these enchanted beads around Inuyasha's neck, and she told me to say something that… well… I chose 'sit'."

Kyo folded his hands in his lap. "But can't Inuyasha-san just take them off?"

"I wish," the hanyou snorted.

Soon, Inuyasha relented and reluctantly told Kyo of his past, and of his brother. In turn, each of the group explained themselves. Miroku told him of the wind tunnel, Shippo of his murdered father and the Thunder Brothers, and Sango of Kohaku and her slaughtered village. Kyo felt he had said enough, even though Kagome knew that there was a horrible sadness to his past that he refused to speak of: his child.

* * *

Sango murmured in her sleep, and turned over. Her expression changed to one of misery, and she let out a couple indistinguishable noises, before crying out and waking Shippo.

"_Inuyasha?" Sango called. "Kagome? Shippo? Houshi-sama?"_

_There was no answer, and Sango's cries grew more and more frenzied. But soon, she saw, to her relief, her friends resting next to a tall tree. She smiled and ran forward. Kneeling next to Shippo and Kirara, the taijiya picked them and hugged their forms to her._

_"Shippo! Kirara!" Sango exclaimed. "I was so worr—" She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly afraid. Neither of them had stirred; they just lay limply in her arms. "Shippo? Kirara?" Sango asked tentatively. She found that in her excitement, she had failed to realize that neither Shippo not Kirara's chest rose and fell in peaceful slumber. Horrified, Sango flung them away in shock, and they hit the ground with a soft _thud_and did not stir._

_Sango, hand shaking, reached out and touched Kagome's form. Her fingers met a sticky, wet substance, and the taijiya immediately drew her hand back. Trying to be brave, Sango reached forward, and with one motion, turned Kagome toward her._

_Sango screamed. She screamed, and screamed, and screamed._

_Kagome was covered in fresh blood, her throat ripped open._

_"Inuyasha!" Sango shouted._

Plop.

_Something dripped down onto Sango's hair from the tree branches above._

Its just rainwater,_ Sango thought, scared. _Its just rainwater.

_But then she glanced up, and screamed again. Staggering back, her eyes fixed on Inuyasha's body, strung up in the tree like some grotesque puppet, Sango shook her head wildly. Blood started to fall from the tree like rain, and Sango bellowed a name—her last chance._

_"HOUSHI-SAMAAA!"_

_But there was no answer._

_Sango kept going backward, eyes still focused on her friends' bodies, when she tripped over something. She landed on her backside on the ground, and her eyes widened when she saw what she had tripped over._

_Her mouth formed silent words for a long, long minute, until she finally found her voice._

_The glassy eyes stared up at her blankly. Sango threw herself forward and screamed, "KOHAKU!" She hugged the body of her younger brother to him, refusing, disbelieving. "YOU CAN'T BE DEAD!"_

_Sango lay curled up with the corpse for a long time before she stood, and staggered drunkenly forward, still crying, "Houshi-sama!" But it was weaker now, as she was. But then something stirred in the corner of her vision. She whirled around, and saw the houshi tottering toward her. She ran toward him, arms open, and he collapsed in her warm embrace. They fell to the ground, and Sango held him tightly. "Houshi-sama," she sobbed, tears running down her face in rivers. "Everyone's dead, houshi-sama… everyone's dead…" He didn't move, and she pulled back. "H-houshi-sama?" she asked nervously._

_His head rested limply on her bosom, his eyes wide and unseeing._

_"Houshi-sama!" Sango shrieked, shaking him. Her voice became shriller, and she shook him hard. "HOUSHI-SAMA, WAKE UP!"_

_But he was gone._

_Sango screamed and flung the body away, and backed up hurriedly._

_Then she felt something pierce her chest, and she glanced behind her and saw someone vaguely familiar grinning at her. Sango's vision began to blur as she felt searing pain rip through her chest, and she gasped, "… Why?" before collapsing in the dirt next to her beloved houshi._

Sango shot up and screamed. Her cries rang through the forest where they were resting. She kept screaming until someone started to shake her, yelling her name.

It was Miroku.

Sango's vision cleared enough to see the monk, Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Kirara and Kyo all huddled around her. She threw herself forward and into Miroku's arms, crying. "Houshi-sama," she sobbed. His arms immediately closed around her, and held her tight.

"Sango," he said gently, "what happened?"

"You were dead!" she choked. "All of you! Dead! And… and…" She faltered and buried her face in Miroku's chest. "Kohaku was dead too!"

"It's okay now, Sango," Kagome said, placing a hand on her friend's back.

"It was just a stupid dream," Inuyasha said, crossing his arms over his chest and earning an elbow in the side from Kagome for being so inconsiderate.

"It's all right, Sango-san," Kyo said reassuringly.

"Shh, Sango," Miroku whispered.

But still she sobbed. The dream had frightened her so much. If her nightmare came true, then she would lose everything. What would she do then?

Soon they calmed the hysterical girl down, and convinced her to tell them more of her dream.

"You said everyone was dead, Sango," Miroku said.

"Yes," she sniffled. "I found you all… Kohaku, Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo, Kirara"—she looked up at the houshi with large, frightened brown eyes—"you."

Inuyasha looked a little disturbed by the dream, but still continued in his insensitive fashion that was sure to earn him a 'sit' from Kagome. "Feh! Sango, don't be dumb. Like I said, it was just a dream!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome growled under her breath. Inuyasha didn't even have time to step back; the word had already passed Kagome's lips. "Sit!" she shouted. He hit the ground, but it wasn't enough. "Sit! Sit! SIT!" she bellowed. Kagome glared down at the crater where Inuyasha laid, a bruised and dirty mess. "Hmph," she snorted. "Serves you right. How can you be _so_ insensitive?"

Happy for the distraction, Sango shook her head at the two.

* * *

As they walked down an unfamiliar path later that day, Sango's thoughts returned to the troubling nightmare that had plagued her sleep the night before. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she wondered aloud, "What could it _mean_?"

"Hmm?" Miroku said immediately. "Your nightmare?" She nodded and he chuckled. "It probably doesn't mean anything," he said lightly. The houshi put a hand on her shoulder and continued, "Not all dreams are premonitions, you know. Don't worry, Sango."

"Thanks, houshi-sama," Sango said quietly. He smiled and drifted back to the front of the group, but Sango said more, and this time it was barely audible. "But it has unsettled me…"

Kyo, who remained at the back by her side, said, "What? Your dream has unsettled you?"

Sango nodded and said, "There was something strange about it. I don't know what, but…" She thought for a second, and then went on to say, "Everyone was dead, and then at the end, someone killed _me_."

"How horrible!" Kyo remarked.

* * *

"The sun's going down," Sango announced that evening. "Why don't we stop for the night?"

"Where?" Inuyasha asked skeptically.

"There." Sango pointed to the lights of a town on the horizon.

"What?" Shippo whined. "I thought you said it was time to rest, not time to walk to a town so Miroku can con some poor people into giving us a room!"

Miroku chuckled softly and said, "No, Shippo, not so I can con some _poor _people, but so I can con some _rich _people!" He laughed uproariously at his own little joke and pointed his staff toward the town. "Onward!" he boomed, leading the way.

* * *

"…yes, sir, your house is definitely in need of an exorcism," Miroku said charmingly, walking the halls of the richest house in the village with it's wealthy owner. Miroku peeked into one room and nodded wisely. "Yes…" Ducking out of the room and into the hall, Miroku stuck a sutra on one of the posts. "That should get rid of the spirit by morning, at least," he announced.

The man bowed gratefully. "Oh, thank you, houshi-sama." Miroku smiled at him, and the man quickly added, "I'm sure you and your friends"—he gestured to Sango and the others, who stood behind them—"would like a place to sleep tonight."

"That would be delightful," Miroku said lightly, and allowed the rich man to lead them to two rooms.

"This is where you and your male friends may sleep. The girls can sleep in this room," the man said. He bade them goodnight, and left to go to sleep himself.

"Well, it's not right," Kyo began, "but it got us a room. Thanks, houshi-san." He said a polite good night to the girls, and disappeared inside the men's room. Inuyasha went inside without even a small goodnight.

Kagome, Shippo and Kirara left to sleep soundly, leaving Miroku and Sango alone in the hall. He stepped toward the taijiya and she took a step back, her face going several different shades of red.

"Sango," Miroku said, "I just had an idea. How about I sleep in your room to watch over—"

Sango sighed and gave him a light punch on the head, preventing him from talking further. "No thanks, houshi-sama," she growled. Then Sango stepped inside the room, and when the monk made to follow, she promptly shut it in his face.

* * *

The next day, Miroku and the others said farewell to the rich gentlemen very early in the morning, disturbing him and his wife from their slumber. Sleepily, the man watched them go, and didn't even begin to suspect that there had been no spirit.

Kyo smiled and stretched toward the sky. "I slept wonderfully last night!"

"Me too," Kagome agreed happily.

The others nodded, and Sango cut in with another positive word for the journey: "I'm sure we'll find Tohyama today. We must have combed half the lands by now."

Inuyasha laughed. "You wish," he said. " 'Combed half the lands,' " he repeated dryly. "Please."

Sango's shoulders sagged in disappointment. "The world seems so much bigger when you're actually looking for something," she complained.

* * *

Crouched on a high branch in a leafy tree, Sesshoumaru looked on with mild interest. "They are still looking for Tohyama," he mused. His amber eyes suddenly focused on Sango, laughing with all the rest as if she hadn't been injured throughout the entire journey. _Why do I keep thinking about her—a weak, useless human?_

And it was true. From the time Sesshoumaru had parted with his younger brother and his friends, the taiyoukai had been plagued with images of the taijiya. Her face kept popping up his mind—all her expressions, one by one: pain, sadness, surprise, anger, contentment…

_Sango._

Sesshoumaru had heard all the different people in the group she traveled with call her by that name. Coral. The demon wrinkled his nose. It was such a weak, girly name. It didn't seem to suit the girl at all.

The human Sesshoumaru had seen had been strong even in the face of possible death.

_Aargh! Stop it!_ Sesshoumaru thought angrily, banishing Sango from his mind.

"Milord!" a piercing, annoying voice exclaimed next to his ear.

Without waiting even a millisecond, Sesshoumaru's arm shot out and knocked his loyal henchmen from the tree branch. Jaken squawked in surprise as he began to tumble toward the ground below. If Sesshoumaru had not caught him, the toad would have probably landed on Inuyasha's head.

But, Sesshoumaru grasped Jaken by the neck of his robes and hoisted him up so they were eye to eye. "What is it, Jaken?" the demon asked, pronouncing every syllable slowly and carefully, as if Jaken was a small, incompetent child.

"M-m-milord!" Jaken sputtered.

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru repeated, voice laced with annoyance.

"You saved me!" Jaken croaked, attempting to hug his lord.

_I also knocked you from the branch, fool, _Sesshoumaru thought, annoyed at his henchmen's stupidity. The taiyoukai held Jaken at arm's length now, expression one of supreme disgust. He flung Jaken against the trunk and asked, "Where is Rin?"

Jaken sniffed disdainfully. "The human is hiding behind this tree, on the ground."

"Fetch her."

"She refuses to come!"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Then we will come down," he decided. "I wanted to pay my brother a visit, anyway." His eyes strayed to Kyo, and his expression hardened. "About _him_."

Then the taiyoukai jumped gracefully down, landing before Inuyasha and the others with a perfectly emotionless face.

"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha exclaimed. He drew the Tetsusaiga, but Sesshoumaru stopped him with a wave of a clawed hand.

"I have not come to fight, brother," Sesshoumaru said flatly.

Kyo let out a low, angry noise. "You fiend!" he shouted at Sesshoumaru. "You almost killed Sango!" The others made it clear that they agreed, that they trusted Kyo completely.

Sesshoumaru was baffled. Even Sango was oblivious to the obvious…

The dog demon shook his head and his hands curled into exasperated fists. "Inuyasha!" he snapped urgently. "That man—that thing—he's not human and he's not your friend! I don't know why none of you sense anything, but this thing… is Tohyama!"

_TBC_


	3. The Big Reveal

**Chapter 3: The Big Reveal**

"Sesshoumaru!" Sango gasped, running over to where Kyo stood. "Don't be so horrible!"

Watching Sango cuddle up to the monster like that made Sesshoumaru's heart ache, though he didn't know why. "No! Listen to me!" he barked. "This creature is Tohyama, not the human you call Kyo!"

"You're lying!" Sango cried. She opened her mouth to say more, but suddenly something sharp pierced her flesh. Sango, in a daze of pain, glanced down and saw a dagger had ripped through her chest. She glanced at Kyo and saw he was wearing an evil grin. "Kyo… why…?" she gasped, falling forward into the dirt.

_Not all dreams are premonitions… huh…_

"Sango!" Miroku bellowed. He rushed to the girl's side and knocked 'Kyo' aside. He gathered her in his arms, shook her, talked to her, but she was gone. There were no dying words; no 'I love you, Miroku'. How he had always longed to his name tumble from those pretty lips! And now it never would. The monk couldn't hold it in; he started to cry. His sobs were loud and desperate. He took no notice of his companion's sorrow. All that mattered was that Sango was dead in his arms. He had never actually told her he loved her, and he never would.

But, eventually, he did look around, Sango still clutched in his arms. Shippo was curled up in Kagome's arms, and both were sobbing. Kirara was mewling as if she didn't believe it. Inuyasha was on his knees and simply staring at the body in Miroku's arms. And then he saw Sesshoumaru.

The taiyoukai's eyes were red, and he was glowing. "You fool," he hissed, and charged toward 'Kyo', who was simply standing next to Miroku, a content smile playing across his face. Sesshoumaru swiped at him with his claws, but the creature leaped into the air and disappeared.

_"Do not be so hasty,"_ a voice said calmly. The voice filled the air around them, and it was lilting and cruel. _"You will never defeat me like that, Sesshoumaru_-sama_." _The voice mocked him, and then continued,_"All this for a weak human? I do believe you are changing, demon."_

"Where are you?" Sesshoumaru roared, looking around furiously.

The voice laughed a cold, heartless laugh and then Tohyama—still using Kyo's form—appeared behind Sesshoumaru and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Here!" it hissed. Sesshoumaru whirled around and struck at thin air—Tohyama had returned to the skies. "So slow!" Tohyama laughed. "And you expect to defeat me?"

Miroku curled around Sango's bloody body and screamed. Kagome looked up, tears still running in rivers down her pale face, and Inuyasha stared at him. "What is wrong with you?" Miroku screamed at the hanyou. "Why aren't you crying? Sango's gone!" And that brought a fresh onslaught of tears to come pouring down Miroku, Kagome and Shippo's faces. The houshi was angry, so angry. Why wasn't Inuyasha more upset? Why wasn't he kicking himself for not doing anything, for trusting Kyo, just as Miroku was? But then the houshi saw the tears that the hanyou had tried so hard to hide.

Sesshoumaru stood above them, standing tall. But then, in one motion, Sango was torn out of Miroku's arms and nestled in Sesshoumaru's. She lay limply in his arms, and he glanced down at her, at the wound that had caused her death.

Miroku stared down at the place when Sango had been and then up at Sesshoumaru, who was backing away. The houshi got up and stumbled toward the demon and croaked, "Give her back! Return Sango to me!"

Sesshoumaru stared down at him with disdain before calling sharply, "Rin. Jaken. We're leaving." With that, he leaped into the sky, leaving Rin and Jaken to find their own way home. Sesshoumaru, ignoring Miroku's screams below, leaped from tree to tree, running from the sorrowful scene with Sango in his arms.

Miroku bellowed after the demon, yells of, "Bring her back! DEMON!" His words soon became a mess of unintelligible noises, and up above, Tohyama laughed cruelly.

Soon, Kagome staggered forward and placed a hand on the monk's shoulder. "M-Miroku-sama," she stuttered, hampered by her tears, "she's gone. Sessh-Sesshoumaru can't do anything to h-hurt her."

Miroku turned to Kagome and said pitifully, "I don't believe it, Kagome! Sango can't be gone; it's not possible! _IT'S NOT POSSIBLE_!" Kagome shook her head and her body shook, but she knew. Miroku turned to Tohyama and bellowed, "YOU! IT'S YOUR FAULT SHE'S DEAD! I'LL KILL YOU!"

Tohyama chuckled. "Of course it's my fault she's dead, houshi. I killed her."

Inuyasha stood up from his kneeling position in the dirt, drew Tetsusaiga, and charged toward Tohyama in a futile attempt to kill him. Inuyasha leapt up, but came crashing down when Tohyama went ever higher.

Tohyama laughed again and hissed, "Die—in my Sakura Illusion!"

" 'Sakura Illusion?' What garbage are you sprouting?" Inuyasha barked.

A single pink cherry blossom appeared in Tohyama's hand and he brought it to his lips, and then blew on it. Suddenly the air around Inuyasha and the others were filled with sakuras.

"Augh!" Inuyasha exclaimed, shielding his eyes. "It's thicker than a blizzard!" When the blossoms settled, Inuyasha saw before him none other than Kikyo and Kagome. "Kikyo? Kagome?" Inuyasha stammered, taking a step back.

Both girl's had a huge grin on their faces, and they ran to him, squealing, "Inuyasha! We _love_ you!" They collided with him and threw their arms around him and hugged him tight. Inuyasha fell backward onto the ground, which was carpeted with sakuras. They fell over with him, and giggled.

"I love you, Inu-kun," Kagome said earnestly.

"I missed you so, Inuyasha," Kikyo said sweetly.

Sango immediately forgotten, Inuyasha stared at them, and then hugged Kikyo tight. "I've missed you too, Kikyo," he murmured into her hair. Then he turned to Kagome and said quietly, "I can't have you both… but I love you, Kagome."

"Yes, you can!" the girls chorused. "We love you, Inuyasha!"

If it were any other idiot experiencing this, they probably would have deduced that it was a trick. But no, this is _Inuyasha _we're talking about.

* * *

Only a few feet from the delusional Inuyasha, Miroku and Kirara squinted through the cherry blossoms to see Sango, happy and alive. Miroku ran forward, crowing, "Sango!" She spotted him and a large smile spread across her face. The houshi threw his arms around his beloved and kissed her. Sango let out a squeak out surprise against his lips but kissed him back.

They soon broke apart for lack of air and Miroku sweetly cupped the taijiya's face with his hand. "Oh, Sango," he murmured. "Was it a dream that you lay dead in my arms? Did I imagine it all?"

"Oh, my dear Miroku," Sango said sweetly.

He sighed in complete bliss. "How I've longed to hear you say my name! Say it again, Sango!"

And so she did.

* * *

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked uneasily, lost in the blizzard of blossoms. Then she saw him. Inuyasha was relaxing against a tall tree, and staring at her coolly. Kagome took a step forward, only to be pinned to the tree behind by the hanyou. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder, his face not two inches from hers.

"Kagome," he said huskily. "I've decided to let go of the past."

Kagome gasped. Her wish was coming true! "Y-you mean," she stammered, "that—"

"I don't love Kikyo anymore. I love you"—Kagome gasped in happiness—"babe," Inuyasha completed.

Kagome froze. _What_…_? BABE?_ she thought in confusion. _Inuyasha just said… babe!_ Kagome started to laugh and pushed the hanyou off her. "Who ever you are," Kagome said, still chuckling, "you're doing a horrible impersonation of Inuyasha."

* * *

"Kagome? Miroku? Inuyasha?" Shippo squeaked uneasily. He walked further into the storm of sakuras, and gulped. "Where are you guys?"

"Shippo!" came a voice. A voice Shippo recognized well.

"Father!" he squeaked, rushing forward and wrapping his chubby arms around his father's leg.

The fox demon returned the embrace and whispered in his son's ear, "I've missed you, Shippo…"

"Th-those awful monsters!" Shippo said, letting go and staring up into his father's face. "How… how did you survive?"

"That is not for you to know," the fox said, reaching forward and bopping Shippo lightly—and affectionately—on the nose.

"If you say so, Father. I don't care—I'm just so glad you're alive," Shippo said happily, smiling a grin like no other.

* * *

Tohyama, still in Kyo's form, watched the four different people talk to thin air. "Those fools… in the face of their desires, they have forgotten the death of their friend." Tohyama's eyes narrowed. "How selfish." Just then, the demon noticed Kagome seemed to be confused and laughing.

"Hmm… the Kagome girl… she must have strong spiritual powers; she doesn't seem completely ensnared," he murmured. _So… it is time…_ Without waiting a second longer, Tohyama summoned another sakura. He held it between his thumb and forefinger, and suddenly, it lighted on fire. Tohyama smirked, and dropped the flaming blossom onto the heads of the humans below.

When the single flaming blossom floated down to its companions, and caused them all to burst into flame. Tohyama saw the expressions of all four people change drastically, showing his spell was complete. He grinned in a horrible way, his eyes narrowing to slits.

None of them felt the fire… but…

* * *

Inuyasha laughed and welcomed the love of the two girls, totally content. But suddenly, their expression's changed and readied their bows with an arrow. "Kagome? Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked, voice full of shock and a little fear.

"We love you," the phantom girls chorused. "Come to us, Inuyasha!" Then, all at once, the girls let loose their bows, and he barely managed to dodge it. They did it a second time, and this time, Kikyo's arrow struck Inuyasha's shoulder and stuck fast.

He cried out and clutched his shoulder, wrenching the arrow out. "Wh-what's going on?" he yelped, shielding himself with the sleeves of his haori.

* * *

"Oh, Miroku," Sango said happily. "I love so much."

"I love you too, Sango," Miroku sighed contentedly.

The fake Sango, still grinning, unhitched the Hiraikotsu and flung it at the monk without ever breaking her smile.

"Sango!" Miroku barked. He grunted in pain when the Hiraikotsu struck him in the stomach, sending him crashing back against the trunk of a thick tree. "What are you doing!"

* * *

Shippo sat on sakura-covered ground, chatting with his father. He laughed at a witty joke of his, and a strangely clawed hand reached out to touch his shoulder. Shippo turned and smiled at him.

"Something the matter, Father?" he asked.

"No… everything's _fine_!" The phantom punctuated 'fine' by grabbing the kitsune demon's neck and squeezing.

"Father!" Shippo choked out. "Wh-what are you _doing_?"

* * *

Kagome, still laughing from the fact that this 'Inuyasha' had said babe, did not notice Inuyasha swipe at her with his claws until she felt the searing pain in her arm. The girl gasped and exclaimed, "Now I know you're not Inuyasha! Who _are_ you?"

"What are you talking about, Kagome?" the imitation asked sweetly. "I'm Inuyasha!"

"Leave me alone!" Kagome shrieked. She grabbed an arrow from her quiver, readied her bow and shot the arrow. It hit the fake Inuyasha's heart, and the phantom turned into sakuras that scattered with the wind. "Huh? Cherry blossoms?" She looked around and saw her friends battling with thin air—and Shippo floating above ground, clawing at his neck as if there was a hand gripping his throat!

"A trick!" Kagome exclaimed. She looked up in the sky and saw Tohyama. "Stop it!" she shouted at him. Kagome shot an arrow at Tohyama and shocked him into dropping the cherry blossom that called forth the illusion. It fell to its burning companions and burst into flame.

"What is this power?" Tohyama gasped as he watched Shippo drop to the ground and rub his throat, Inuyasha look around in confusion and Miroku drop to his knees, realizing that it had been a trick—that Sango was truly dead.

Inuyasha glared up at Tohyama and roared, "Monster! Trickster!"

"What?" Tohyama drawled. "You're just angry because you can't have both your women."

Inuyasha felt Kagome's stare burning into the back of his head, but refused to turn to her, instead, he charged at Tohyama, thinking the demon let his guard down. He was wrong. The Tetsusaiga swiped at mid-air; Tohyama had disappeared.

_"Good try, Inuyasha," _Tohyama's voice floated back, _"But not good enough. You'll never be able to defeat me."_

And just like that, Tohyama disappeared.

* * *

Naraku, relaxing in his castle, listened closely as Kohaku told him of the taijiya's death. The boy had watched from above.

"I see," Naraku said. He looked at the boy and asked, "Kohaku, why are you crying?"

"I don't know, Master Naraku," Kohaku said, his voice devoid of emotion. One hand came up to collect a single tear, and Kohaku stared at it as if he had never seen one before.

_Oh god the taijiya's dead I don't want her to be dead oh please no…!_

An evil little smile played across Naraku's face. "Come here, Kohaku," he said. _Now that the taijiya is dead, I have no use for this boy._

"Yes, Master Naraku." Kohaku rose and stumbled toward his master, though his mind was screaming at him.

_No stop there's something I need to remember... stop!_

Naraku leaned forward and jammed his fingers inside a wound on Kohaku's back directly above the jewel shard. The boy stiffened instinctively, but since he had the shard, it caused him no pain. Naraku's searching fingers found the shard and delicately plucked it out. With a strangled, tortured noise, the body of 11-year-old Kohaku dropped the floor.

* * *

Hours later, Sesshoumaru was still jumping from tree to tree, running across plains. He knew where he was going. The demon had stayed there many times before: an old, abandoned village that had been attacked by demons many years before. As he jumped, he happened to glance down at the pitiful, bloodstained taijiya in his arms. He sniffed the air and was assaulted with two powerful scents. Blood, and jasmine.

After another half hour of running, Sesshoumaru absently wondered where Rin and Jaken were. He brushed the thought aside immediately when he saw his destination. The demon slowed to a walk and entered the dry, dusty ghost of a village. He made his way to one hut which was less battered than the others—the one that always remained his home.

Sesshoumaru stepped inside and smirked dryly. _Not exactly a fitting place for the lord of the Western Lands, _he thought. He walked over to a mat and gently placed Sango on it.

Doing this had seemed completely natural until Sesshoumaru found himself unsheathing Tenseiga. Then, something struck him. He was about to resurrect a human—and one that traveled with his weak brother, no less. What possessed him… what was making him desire to see this human live again?

But before Sesshoumaru knew what he was doing, he had raised Tenseiga over his head and swiped at the ghouls that appeared around Sango's still form. Getting down on one knee, Sesshoumaru watched as the wound in Sango's chest closed, and watched her eyelids flutter.

Sango groaned softly and her eyes opened wide. "What happened?" She saw Sesshoumaru and scurried backward. "Ah! Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru stood up then and looked down on her with disdain. "You should be more respectful," Sesshoumaru remarked in his baritone voice. "I just resurrected you."

"What?" Sango exclaimed. She looked at the sword Sesshoumaru held in his hand, and recalled Totosai's words: 'Tenseiga is a sword of healing.' "You… _you _did?"

"Don't look so shocked," Sesshoumaru growled, displeased with the expression on her face.

"I thought you hated humans!"

"I do," Sesshoumaru snapped, tiring of her relentless refusal to understand.

Sango was silent. "Well," she said, "thank you."

Sesshoumaru grunted, and sat down against the wall. "You are free to leave now, taijiya."

"Aren't you going to leave too?" Sango asked, placing herself opposite him.

Sesshoumaru had closed his eyes, but now he stared at Sango through narrowed amber orbs. "No. I must wait"—he sighed—"for my servant Jaken and for Rin. Then I can leave." He looked out the door and said absently, "They are not far behind."

"You don't truly hate humans, do you, Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked, knowing that she was prying. "You allow that little girl—Rin, you called her—to travel with you, yet you claim to hate us."

Sesshoumaru's eyes closed again, and he leaned back against the wall. "I said you are free to leave."

Sango sighed and stood. "Fine." Her eyes flashed. "If you are too cowardly to answer, then I shall leave."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into slits, and his expression clearly said 'You have gone too far.' "You dare call this Sesshoumaru cowardly?" He stood up and Sango, now frightened, took a step back, but Sesshoumaru took a mighty step forward, and suddenly was not an inch from her face. "Hmm? Well, taijiya?" he asked, his amber eyes piercing her own.

Sango cowered for a second, but then straightened and said, "Answer my question, demon, and I shall take back what I said."

Sesshoumaru glared daggers at her and snorted, and Sango resisted a smirk at how like Inuyasha he had sounded just then. "I was not so insulted by your comment that I would stoop so low as to answer your pointless question, human."

Sango glared back and turned to leave, and when she opened the makeshift curtain that was the door, she had to jump aside to avoid collision with two figures. When they came to a stop before Sesshoumaru, Sango recognized the annoying toad and the sweet human girl—the taiyoukai's two companions.

"Milord!" panted Jaken, grubby bird-like hands resting on his knobby knees. "When I saw you go off with the body of that human—I swear, I could not have been more surprised! What did you do with the corpse?" He smiled maliciously. "Dump it in a bog? Drop it on the road?"

Sango frowned and coughed pointedly. Jaken whirled around and let out a screech of, "Augh! You're _alive_!"

"So it would seem," Sango agreed sarcastically, glowering at the toad.

Jaken, quaking, turned back to his lord and squeaked, "How is it that she is alive? You didn't—you couldn't have—?" Jaken fumbled over his words for a minute or so, and then finally managed to get it together and say, "You didn't resurrect her, did you, milord?" Sesshoumaru was silent, and Jaken rightly confirmed it to be a 'yes.' _No! _he thought anxiously. _This is so unlike my lord!_

"I'm leaving," Sango announced. Sesshoumaru stared levelly after her as the taijiya swept out the door. He blinked sluggishly, and Sango's head reappeared. "Oh," she said softly, "Sesshoumaru… thanks. I have another chance to live." As she left, she uttered one word, which Sesshoumaru was positive he was not supposed to hear, and it sent him into confusion. _"Miroku…"_

"Pffft," Sesshoumaru said carelessly when she left. "Humans and their emotions." Inside, his mind was in turmoil. '_Miroku'? That is the name of the houshi… does she love him? _His heart ached again, the same ache as when he saw Sango protecting Kyo.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" questioned Rin quietly. "Who was that girl?"

"And why did you resurrect her, milord?" piped in Jaken.

"Nobody," Sesshoumaru answered simply. Jaken still stared, and Sesshoumaru reluctantly gave an answer to the toad's question: "I don't know, Jaken." He considered saying more, but decided against confiding in his companions too much, for fear that they may become an even greater weakness.

* * *

Sango strode along furiously. "Stubborn demon!" she muttered. "But," she wondered aloud a moment later, "why did he save me?" Sango pursed her lips in confusion, and kept walking, taking no notice of the fact that she had just entered a black forest.

It was obviously a forest of death; the trees were crooked and evil looking. Sango glanced around and shivered. "Why would Sesshoumaru choose a place like this to be his temporary home?" She snorted. "Well, I guess it's a lot like him… black… cruel… unforgiving."

A voice seemed to speak to her, "Is that how you would talk to the one who just saved your life?"

Sango jumped, startled. She tried to laugh it off, but then she noticed that though the trees remained cold and dead, the forest was now enveloped in a creepy, everlasting golden twilight. She looked around, and back the way she had come. _Huh? All the paths look the same!_ she thought, panicked. Sango turned around again and said, "Stop it, Sango. I'll just go back." She turned to go back and gasped. "But," she asked herself, "which way is back?"

Sango gulped. She vaguely remembered someone in her family—possibly her father, during a bedtime story—telling her of a place very similar—it was called the dread forest of Hakumei Takai… Twilight Death.

"Do not stray into Hakumei Takai… it is an evil place, where all kinds of strange demons roam. It's perpetual twilight sends you into a dazed trance, allowing the demons to trick you," Sango recalled.

Sango tried to laugh it off, but the place unsettled her. What if this truly was the forest of Hakumei Takai? _No,_ she told herself. _Don't be silly. _In order to reassure herself, Sango waited for the golden twilight glow to fade. But it did not. Sango shuddered. _I have to get out of here!_ She took out her compass and gasped. "M-my compass!" The compass' dial was spinning madly.

"The place where compasses fail," the voice of the storyteller in her memory said.

"I have to go some way!" Sango said determinedly. She random chose the path to her left, and started to run. Soon she clumsily tripped over a root and crashed to the ground on her knees. She winced, and slowly picked herself up. "Ouch…" The taijiya glanced up and what she saw made her gasp.

There was a group of children toddling toward her. The first was a little black-haired girl with huge eyes in a little pink kimono. Three kids followed her: another girl and two boys.

"Hello," Sango said kindly, walking up and kneeling before them. "How did you get into the forest? Are you lost?"

"Nuh-uh," the big-eyed girl said. "We live here." She pointed to a little cave made of the roots of a huge tree. It was bathed in the stray light of the forest, and Sango squinted inside and let out a small shriek. Littering the place were bones—millions and millions of bones!

"Uhm…" Sango stepped away from the kids and gave a loud scream as the kids began to convulse. They curled into themselves and, a moment later, rose up as horrific demons that stood 10 feet high. Sango gathered her wits and prepared to fight with her bare hands—the Hiraikotsu and her other weapons had been left behind with Miroku and the others.

There was a sighing sound from the tree next to her and Sango whirled around to see Sesshoumaru casually resting against it. "Stupid human," he muttered. "How can you be so gullible?"

"Sessh-Sesshoumaru!" Sango stuttered. She took a step back as Sesshoumaru stepped forward and slashed at the demons with Tokijin. They were all killed with one sweep of his powerful, evil blade. When he was done, he turned back to her, and reluctantly she bowed to him in thanks. It was hurting her pride to have to bow to a demon.

Sesshoumaru sniffed disdainfully. "I can smell your hesitance. If it damages your pride as a taijiya to bow to one such as me, feel no need. I do not need your thanks."

Sango bit her lip, still bent double, eyes on the ground. She straightened and looked away. "Thank you."

He shrugged. "I said that I don't need your thanks." His eyes narrowed. "A _human's_ thanks."

Sango kept her eyes averted from his opaque face, but she knew she needed to get out of the forest. "Sesshoumaru," she said, biting back her regret, "I'm… lost. Could you please take me back to my friends?"

"This Sesshoumaru will not return you to your pathetic friends." Sango sighed, but Sesshoumaru drowned her out when he said, "But… I will take you back to the village. You can find your way back from there."

Sango gave him a small smile. "Thanks," she said. "So will I get on your back, or…?"

Sesshoumaru laughed. It was a laugh full of amused disbelief, and scorn. "'Will you get on my back?'" he repeated incredulously. "I will not carry you like my idiot brother!" His voice had a harsh edge to it, and his amber eyes were filled with contempt.

"Well then," Sango said, fighting back her embarrassed blush, "how will I—"

"You will follow me," Sesshoumaru said simply. Then he jumped down and took off down the direction Sango had come.

"Hey!" she shouted after him. "Are you sure that's the right path?" He didn't slow down, and she didn't get an answer. The taijiya saw the sleeve of his robe disappear around a corner, and cursed under her breath. "Wait!" she bellowed, hurrying after him.

Sango sprinted after him, but soon she started to hear voices calling out to her. Familiar voices. The voices of her family, of her slaughtered friends in the Slayer's Village. She slowed and turned around, looking for the figures of her loved ones. Then she saw her father, standing in the shadows next to a tall tree. He was grinning at her when called her name: "Sango!"

Sango walked toward him, eyes wide and disbelieving. "Father!" she gasped. "You're alive!"

* * *

Up ahead, Sesshoumaru glanced back and found he could not see the taijiya that was supposed to be following him. He cursed her, and ran back the way he had come. He rounded a sharp bend and saw her, drunkenly staggering toward the phantom image of a man. _A dead loved one,_ Sesshoumaru deduced. The taijiya stretched out her hand to the copy of her father, and Sesshoumaru bellowed, "Stop!"

She didn't react. The girl was under the spell of the forest, and heard nothing but her father's warm voice echoing in her ears. She fell into the arms of the fake, and didn't notice its face contort into a hideous mangled mask, didn't notice its fingernails curve into claws. But Sesshoumaru did.

He charged forward and struck at the creature with his claws. The claws slashed across the fake's face—a hair's breath from Sango's bowed head—and passed through. But it did its job. The creature roared and became a curling tower of gray smoke, and nothing more. Sesshoumaru grabbed Sango's shoulders and whirled her around. He looked into her eyes and saw only emptiness, no vivacity, no passion.

"Sango?" the taiyoukai asked in a surprisingly gentle tone.

Sango's eyes cleared and she stared up at Sesshoumaru's face. "What happened?" she inquired, mouth dry.

"You were tricked," Sesshoumaru said simply. He set off again, walking this time instead of running. "Follow me," he ordered, resuming his harsh tone simply for the reason that he wanted silence so he could berate himself in peace, without Sango's interruptions. "And keep your eyes on me. I don't want you getting tricked again, and slowing me down even further."

Sango nodded and kept up with him. To Sesshoumaru's relief, they did not speak throughout the entire journey. When the two emerged from the forest so Sango could leave, Sesshoumaru did something that quite surprised the taijiya.

"I have changed my mind," Sesshoumaru said stiffly. Sango turned back toward him and cocked her head to the side in confusion. "I will return you to your friends." Sango gave him a wide smile and Sesshoumaru shifted uncomfortably. Then the taiyoukai said something that he wished for the rest of his long life he had not: "I'll carry you on my back."

* * *

Hours later, long after Sesshoumaru had explained to Rin and Jaken's chagrin that he was returning Sango to her friends, the demon jumped from tree to tree with Sango resting on his back. The ordeal with her phantom father had left her exhausted, and she had fallen asleep soon after the journey began. Had it been any other, Sesshoumaru would have dropped them and left them long ago, but with Sango, something possessed him to do this for her.

Sesshoumaru was beginning to tire himself, when he saw a familiar sight—a deep crater in the ground. _Hmm, _Sesshoumaru thought. _That miko who travels with Inuyasha has been here. They are close by._ He continued to run until he saw a strange blanket on the ground. It was red and white and made of a strange slick, shiny material. Sesshoumaru knew it belonged to the strange girl, and despite the fact that they were not there now, Inuyasha, the miko and the others would no doubt return to it later. So he deposited the sleeping Sango on that and promptly left without bothering to wake her.

* * *

Sango woke hours later in the dark to sobs, incoherent words, and colorful cursing. She slowly opened her eyes and, through fuzzy vision, she saw Kagome, bending over her, tears coursing down her face and dripping onto Sango's shoulder. Inuyasha sat behind her, staring through wide, disbelieving eyes at the taijiya as curses flew from his mouth. He was looking at her like she was one of Naraku's tricks.

"Ka-Kagome," Sango croaked; the arms encircling her neck were cutting off her circulation.

"SANGO-CHAN!" Kagome squealed. The arms tightened, and the 15-year-old blubbered, "Oh, Sango, you're alive! I don't believe it! How is this possible?" Sango opened her mouth to speak, but Kagome wasn't done. "Who cares? All that matters is that you're alive!"

Sango sniffed back a sob. All the emotion had also brought her to tears. The taijiya wrapped her arms around her friend and gave up resisting. Tears poured down her face and onto Kagome's uniform, and soon they were both blubbering and crying much that their words were incomprehensible.

Eventually, Kagome pulled back and looked back at Inuyasha expectantly. He looked away and shrugged. "I'm… glad… you're alive, Sango."

Sango smiled through her tears, reached up and clasped his hand. She saw his whole body go rigid, and watched as his head turned stiffly toward her. The taijiya squeezed his hand and whispered, "That means a lot, Inuyasha."

The hanyou pulled his hand away and stared at his toes, his cheeks scarlet.

Sango turned back to Kagome and asked, "Where's houshi-sama?"

This time it was Kagome who glanced at the ground. "Two days have passed," she said quietly. "He has been so… angry. Angry at me, at Inuyasha, at himself, at… you."

_"WHY?" Miroku raged. "It's all my fault! I could have done something! I could have stopped her going up to that monster? Why did we trust him? Why didn't we save her?"_

_"Miroku," Kagome cut in. "We all trusted him… he was a good actor. So, I guess it is our fault," Kagome admitted, "that's Sango's… d—" She broke down into sobs, and Inuyasha slowly gathered her up his arms._

_"And… and… S-Sesshoumaru!" Miroku exclaimed, tears falling freely down his face. His nose was running and his robe filthy, but he paid it no mind. "Why did he leave with her?" The monk turned and punched a tree, shouting, "Dammit, Sango! Why did you have to die?" He continued, but soon his grief overcame him and he collapsed against the tree. "Why did you leave me?" he murmured to the tree._

"And then he left," Kagome explained. "That was last night. We haven't seen him since."

Sango stood. "I'm going to go and look for him," she announced.

"No," Inuyasha said as Sango turned to leave. She turned back toward him, hands on her hips. Her question was obvious: Why? He sighed, and said, "Rest, Sango. Go and look for him in the morning."

"But," Sango protested, "I've just slept! I'm not tired! Now please tell me, in which direction did he leave?"

Kagome's eyes sparkled. _She really does love him… _"He left through those trees," Kagome said, pointing straight ahead, where a tiny path could be seen. Sango nodded, gave a hurried thank you, and set off at a run through the wood.

"Kagome," Inuyasha asked, "why'd you let her go? I thought you wanted her to rest. That was what that look you gave me was, right?"

Kagome turned to him, very calm. "She loves him, Inuyasha," she said softly, gazing at the moon. "I can't stand in the way of that." She closed her eyes and said softly, "I only hope he hasn't done something stupid."

"I still can't see why she loves a lecherous monk like him," Inuyasha said, snorting.

Kagome smiled and scooted closer to him, eventually getting close enough that she could lean her head on his shoulder. They both gazed up at the bright, full moon and Kagome uttered, "Well, even if we can't understand why, she still does. And I know he loves her back, so as long as he—"

"So as long as he hasn't gone back to his old ways," Inuyasha continued, "they'll be fine?" The hanyou finished the sentence as a question, looking to Kagome for approval.

"Exactly."

* * *

Sango sped up, panting, and clumsily stumbled over a root and toppled out of the forest. She found herself in the middle of a village, and thought of Kagome, miserably camped out when she could be staying in one of these fine rooms. Sango pondered if Kagome even knew what was beyond the trees, and how annoyed she would get when she came across the village the next day.

The taijiya stepped forward, not daring to call out, knowing how late it was. She walked until she reached the outskirts of the village and then sighed. No trace of Miroku. Just then, she heard giggling from around a corner, and _his _voice. Sango was about to rush around the corner when she decided to eavesdrop instead. Silently, the girl slunk up to the wall and peered around. There was the monk, talking to a pretty young maiden that looked quite like Sango herself.

"Excuse me, miss," Miroku said, smiling an empty smile that didn't reach his haunted purple eyes. "Will you b—"

Sango, furious, stepped boldly forward before he could say anything more. She faced the monk and said, voice shaking, "I see you haven't changed."

Miroku turned slowly around, and when he saw who stood before him, his mouth opened and his eyes widened, tears building in the corners. "S… S-Sango!" he gasped. "I believed you dead!"

Sango turned away from him. "I was resurrected," she said softly. She would never say who resurrected her, not now, not ever. After all, what on earth would they say when Sango told them an enemy had saved her?

Miroku immediately abandoned his new friend and took a step towards Sango, grabbed the back of her head and did the only thing he could think of: the monk leaned her backwards in a passionate kiss. She sputtered for a moment then slowly relaxed in his warm embrace. (Meanwhile, the girl, who had held all his attention the moment before, cried out in fury turned on her heel, charging back through the village to her home.)

Suddenly, Sango felt Miroku be swept out of her arms. A crash, and Miroku hit the wall of the house to the right of Sango. Terribly frightened, she searched the darkness. Then she saw the amber eyes, and backed up to where Miroku lay, crumpled in a heap on the ground.

Sesshoumaru never bothered coming out of the shadows. He saw Sango stiffen, and backed up so she couldn't see him. He hadn't planned for her to see him in the first place, but he inched too close. Now the taiyoukai was floating off into the distance, his pelt streaming behind him.

_I just came to see how she was—I don't even know why I did that,_ Sesshoumaru thought as he flew. His insides were boiling, and his heart aching. The taiyoukai wanted these strange feelings to cease; he had since he had began seeing that human's face in his mind.

* * *

Sango slid down until she was kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath. Seeing Sesshoumaru's eyes in the darkness had frightened her, and caused all the energy to leave her legs, inconveniently turning them to jelly. _What was Sesshoumaru doing here? And why did he… do that? _she thought. Glancing at the crumpled figure of the houshi that had just kissedher, she calmed, and crept over to him.

"Houshi-sama?" Sango whispered, shaking him lightly. He shook limply with her, and his head bobbed. The taijiya could already see the red bump rising on the back of his head. "Oh, houshi-sama, I'm so sorry," she said miserably, hoisting the unconscious houshi up onto her shoulders and dragging him back to the campsite.

A few minutes later, Sango appeared through the trees, grunting from the effort of carrying Miroku, and saw Inuyasha and Kagome the same sweet embrace which they had been in for the past five minutes or so, with Kagome's head resting lightly on Inuyasha's shoulder. Though Sango hated to interrupt one of these rare occurrences, she stepped toward them and croaked, "A little help, please?"

Kagome, still dazed from the proximity of herself and her not-so-secret crush, glanced up and started when she saw Sango. Half a second later, Kagome remember Sango's return, relaxed, and now found surprise at seeing the limp houshi hanging off her taijiya friend. "Oh!" she exclaimed, leaping up and rushing to lend a hand. "What happened?" she inquired as she helped Sango lay him down in one of her two sleeping bags.

"Thanks," Sango said, brushing dark hair out of Miroku's eyes.

"You're welcome, Sango," Kagome stammered. "But how did he… get this way?"

Sango's face hardened, and then crumpled to show a defeated, confused expression. "I don't know," she lied. "When," she paused, "… when I got there, he was like this."

"You mean he was unconscious when you discovered him?" Kagome gasped.

"Yes, Kagome, that's what she just said," Inuyasha snapped, standing and walking over. "He probably flirted with some guy's wife and got himself beat up. Nothin' unusual."

"Inuyasha! Shut up!" Kagome seethed.

"I suppose you're right," Sango said, giving a fake smile and declaring nonchalantly, "He hasn't changed!"

Kagome looked up, eyes wide, from where she had been bending over Miroku, examining the bump. "You're not mad?" she asked.

"Me? Mad? No!" Sango exclaimed nervously. Inuyasha eyed her suspiciously so she followed her weak lie with a forced laugh. Immediately the taijiya regretted it; it was obviously she was lying about _something_.

"Wait a second," Inuyasha said suddenly, sniffing the air. "I smell… something." Sango stiffened, and fought down the urge to panic. If Inuyasha found Miroku's scent on her, her cover was blown.

Concerned, Kagome gazed at the hanyou. "What is it? Do you smell a demon? Or your brother?" She leaped up and asked urgently, "Inuyasha, do you smell Tohyama! Or Naraku?"

"No," Inuyasha said slowly. Kagome sighed and sat down, but gave a mighty gasp when Inuyasha did finally identify the elusive scent. "Miroku's scent! Mixed with Sango's!" He gaped at her. "You kissed him?"

_"You kissed him!"_ Kagome shrieked, leaping up and throwing her arms around her taijiya friend.

"But," Inuyasha began, obviously puzzled, "you said Miroku was out cold when you found him!" His brow furrowed. "You kissed him while he was unconscious?"

Kagome's hold loosened a bit, and she pulled back, her head cocked to the side in a silent question.

_What should I do? Should I say I kissed him while he was out and risk humiliation? Or shall I tell them the truth and have Kagome squealing? But, if I do tell them the truth, how will I say he got knocked out? I wonder… what will houshi-sama say when he awakens? _"I… uh… I… I—" Sango fumbled.

"C'mon, Sango. Answer," Inuyasha said silkily, pleased to have caught Sango out in such a deliciously awkward situation. The hanyou gazed at her smugly, confident he could get to her confess.

"I kissed him while he was unconscious," Sango said softly, praying that after Inuyasha laughed at her expense, they could drop the subject.

Kagome's bright face lost only a fraction of its eager light, but Inuyasha, on the other hand, let out a cackle of derisive laughter. "Won't Miroku be thrilled when I tell him?" Inuyasha teased, snorting.

Kagome whirled around and snapped, "Inuyasha, quit being such a jerk! SIT!"

There was a loud sound and birds scattered, signaling Inuyasha's collision with the cold, brown dirt. When he managed to pick himself up, he grumbled, "I was _joking_."

"Well, that was still mean," Kagome said, nostrils flaring, eyes glaring.

"Feh," Inuyasha grumbled, hopping up into the trees. He found himself a comfortable branch and sat there, looking out toward the pale, glowing sphere in the sky.

* * *

The next morning, Sango awoke with a sharp pain in her back; she had slept on the trunk of an old, gnarled tree and small branches had been pressing into her back all throughout the night. She opened her eyes, and glanced around the campsite. Early morning light filtered through the trees, and by the looks of it, everyone was still sleeping.

Sango saw Kagome wrapped up in her sleeping bag, Shippo and Kirara curled up next to her. She stood, and glanced up into the tree where Inuyasha had settled the night before and saw that he, too, was still asleep. The taijiya glanced back at where they had left the unconscious monk and found, to her surprise, that the houshi was gone!

She leapt into action, grabbed the Hiraikotsu, and was about to go off in search of the womanizing young man, when a quiet, amused voice cut in from behind her: "Put down your weapon, Sango. I am here."

Sango whirled around and dropped the Hiraikotsu when she saw Miroku leaning against the trunk of the tree she had been sleeping under, an unusually arrogant smile playing across his bright face. Her face reddened when she realized how worked up she had gotten over the fact that he was simply missing… he had a reason to be arrogant.

Miroku slipped into the trees, but not before beckoning for her to follow him with his cursed hand. She obeyed, and followed him through the wood until they reached a clearing. He stopped so quickly that Sango nearly bumped into him, and turned around to face her. "Sango," he whispered, gathering her into his arms in a possessive hug. "I thought you were gone!" He buried his head in the crook of her shoulder, and barely managed to stop himself from weeping.

Obviously this was a show that he did _not _want the others to see.

"H… houshi-sama," Sango said softly. Her arms were pinned to her sides, but if she could have, she would have gladly returned his embrace.

He pulled away and slowly regained her composure. "I am sorry," he said before she had a chance to question his actions. "I am sorry I scared you, too." She opened her mouth to speak, but he put a finger to her lips, silencing her, and completed his tiny speech, "But, I am not sorry"—he smiled at her as if it was any normal evening—"for kissing you."

Sango felt the heat rising up from her neck into her cheeks, and swallowed hard, positive that her face was crimson. "Uh… Uhm," she stuttered, unsure of what to say. "I-I told them," she stammered, "that you were un-… unconscious when I found you and… Inuyasha sniffed out our… our…"

"Kiss?" Miroku asked. Sango only went redder, and he supplied another word: "Secret?"

"Secret," she said, in relief. "Yes. And so I told them… that I had kissed you while you asleep."

Miroku threw back and laughed. Sango stood, looking up at him, thoroughly confused. When he looked back at the taijiya, there were tears of mirth shining in his eyes. "You amuse me, Sango," he said cheerfully. "Why did you tell them that? It will come as no surprise that I kissed you. I love you."

Sango froze. She looked up at Miroku, heart in her mouth, butterflies in her stomach, and exclaimed, "Wh-what!"

He smiled, eyes warm. "You heard me." He leaned forward until he was only an inch away. She dared not lift her eyes to his. So the houshi brought his hand to her chin and tipped it up. "Well, Sango?" he said, his breath on her face. "I said I loved you. Do you love me?"

"I… I…" She swallowed hard. When she had about worked up the confidence to say something, she felt a certain something rubbing his backside. She closed her eyes, a vein in her temple throbbing. "Whatever that is," she growled, "take it back, or lose it!"

Miroku pulled back, but not fast enough. Her hand met with his face and she glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest, their romantic moment ruined and their obvious proximity forgotten. He chuckled and rubbed at his sore cheek.

"Degenerate houshi!" she snapped, turning her face away in the motion that clearly stated, 'Hmph!'

"So," he leaned in close once more, "I guess that's a yes?" She turned her face to his in surprise, only to have his lips descend upon hers for the second time in a span of two days.

* * *

When Sango returned, in a daze, to the campsite, she found Inuyasha wide-awake, his gaze fixed on the two figures emerging from the forest: Miroku and herself.

Inuyasha sniffed the air. "Knocked him out again, Sango?" he said, grinning.

Miroku, smiling calmly, walked up and clapped Inuyasha merrily on the back. "Inuyasha, my good man," he said, smiling widely. "Sango was, of course, lying about last night, and before she says anything, I assure you that this time she will be lying also."

Sango looked at the ground and bit her lip unhappily. What? After what he said, he claims nothing happened?

Inuyasha sniffed again and exclaimed, "You lie, houshi! Your scent is mingled with Sango's!"

"Oh, yes, I'm not denying that," Miroku said cheerily. Both Inuyasha and Sango started in surprise. "Yesterday evening, Sango claimed that she had kissed me while I was unconscious. A lie. And now, I am positive she was going to say something about how… how we fell on each other or something." He chuckled.

It happened in one second. Kagome sprang out of her sleeping bag and hopped over to Sango, threw her arms around her friend, and shrieked in the taijiya's ear, "Sango! You kissed him! He kissed you! Finally!"

Sango, still stunned from Miroku's relaxed confession, slowly wrapped her arms around Kagome, just as she had the night before. She glanced at Miroku and saw him wearing a content grin. It must have looked like his regular smile to all but Sango, for it was only Sango who reacted, only Sango who saw the new joy in that smile. That feeling had never been there before.

Inuyasha didn't say anything for a long time, and when he finally did say something, it was to Kagome. It wasn't a surprise confession, as Kagome so wished, but more of a pathetic example of the extent of his density. "Well, Kagome, you were right."

* * *

Sesshoumaru strode through yet another boringly familiar forest, Rin and Jaken trailing behind him. He wasn't really taking note of where he was, or how Rin and Jaken were fairing; he was too lost in his thoughts. Thoughts that troubled him. Thoughts about… that damn taijiya.

When he had seen the taijiya and that houshi kiss, something inside of him erupted. He had so badly wanted to cause that man harm, and knocking him into the side of the building hadn't been enough. He wished that houshi a painful, unceremonious death.

But he did not know why.

He had seen random humans kiss by the roadside before. It had always disgusted him. So why this change of heart?

This was the question that had been running through his mind. Why is it that thoughts and images of that pathetic human wench were constantly appearing in his head? Why is it that he wished the houshi would die? The taijiya was not his property, and Sesshoumaru was positive she would never be his property, so why the anger?

Such anger was appropriate for battles, or, in a human case, when the person that houshi was kissing was your betrothed.

Damn it all, Sesshoumaru thought.

His companions knew nothing of his frustration, and barely anything of Sango. All Rin and Jaken knew that their lord had resurrected her. Jaken, secretly disgusted by this, refused to believe it, though he had seen the human dead in one place and alive next to his lord in the next. Rin was happy that Sesshoumaru had warmed up enough to resurrect a human woman, and hoped that she would see the woman again, to give her a proper greeting.

Sesshoumaru had not thought of the resurrection in a long time; he didn't want to. The taiyoukai didn't know why he had resurrected her anymore than he knew why she was plaguing his mind.

"Master Jaken!" Rin squealed suddenly, hurrying to hide behind the toadish creature.

"Huh? What, Rin?" Jaken snapped to attention and waved the Staff of Heads about him, peering around through narrowed eyes.

"A demon, Master Jaken!"

Jaken looked up ahead to where a large plum-colored demon was standing before his lord, who had also paused, and was staring blankly at the demon.

"Ah-hah!" the demon warbled in a deep and barely distinguishable voice. "I will take your fancy clothes and sword, if you don't mind, sir." It spoke to Sesshoumaru, and when the taiyoukai didn't respond, the ugly purple creature, obviously offended, shrieked, "I will eat your bones!" It cackled maliciously, but its laugh turned into a final gurgle when Sesshoumaru whipped out the Tokijin and cleanly cut the demon in half.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is a fearful opponent, indeed," Jaken declared as he crept up and poked at the top half of the unfortunate demon.

"Anyone who means Sesshoumaru-sama harm will probably die. No one can beat him," Rin boasted innocently, coming up and also sneaking a look at the demon's remains.

"Quite," Jaken agreed. He turned to look back at his lord, as if expecting praise for his loyalty, when he found Sesshoumaru gone. "Milord!" he screeched, looking around. Soon he spotted Sesshoumaru's pelt, trailing behind the taiyoukai, who was almost hidden in shadow. Jaken beckoned to Rin and they hurried to catch up, all the time calling after him.

Distracted by that demon, Sesshoumaru managed to think of other things as he walked along. He heard Jaken's screech, but didn't stop to let them catch up, as he knew they would soon enough.

One of the things that floated across his mind was his younger half-brother, Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru's nose wrinkled in distaste involuntarily, and thought of the peace that would exist once Inuyasha ceased to be live. Along with Inuyasha came the strange miko in her odd green and white clothing, the small, weak fox demon, the fire cat, and finally…

He sighed.

By trying to avoid them, Sesshoumaru had focused on Inuyasha, but no, being two of Inuyasha's comrades, the houshi and the taijiya returned. By kissing that annoying woman, Sesshoumaru decided that the houshi had to die. Though…

What makes her so special?

* * *

"Kagura."

"Huh?" The wind witch, Kagura, glanced up from where she had been fingering her fan and looked toward Naraku's being. He sat in a corner of the building, watching Inuyasha and the others in Kanna's mirror.

It seems they are getting stronger, Naraku deduced. He frowned, and waved Kanna away. He turned back to Kagura and ordered, "Go to Inuyasha. I want you to kill him."

"Don't you always?" Kagura asked sarcastically, glancing carelessly over her nails. Paying Naraku no mind was easy, but it wasn't always the smartest thing to do.

Naraku scowled and opened his palm. A red, fleshy thing rose up: Kagura's heart. The wind witch started in surprise and scurried backward. "I will not take such insolence, Kagura," Naraku drawled, and gave the lump in his hand a hard squeeze.

Kagura yelped in pain and curled up, moaning and clutching her kimono. She glanced up at Naraku's smirking face and watched as he went in and out of focus. "Naraku… you… bastard," she choked out.

Naraku casually squeezed her heart again and watched as she whimpered. "Do not dawdle, Kagura," he said lazily. "Inuyasha awaits." He turned to where Kanna stood against the wall. "Kanna. You accompany her."

Kanna nodded slowly. She watched with a blank face as her 'sister' was beaten down by her master, and the little white hands clutching the mirror tightened, but for only a second before they slackened.

* * *

Hours before Naraku even thought of glancing into Kanna's mirror, Inuyasha and his companions stopped for the night. The thick blanket of night that carpeted the world was just beginning to lift, causing the early morning sunlight to filter through the evergreen trees.

Inuyasha, unusually exhausted, was the first to fall asleep, so Miroku offered to keep watch that night. The houshi saw Kagome beam at them when he kissed Sango on the forehead when he bade her goodnight. He then watched as Sango and Kirara settled down to sleep nearby, and smiled when the taijiya fell asleep smiling. He observed Kagome as she, too, fell asleep, obviously dreaming of Inuyasha.

When everyone was asleep and the fire was dying down, Miroku too felt the urge to fall asleep, but fought it.

He failed. His eyelids drooped tiredly, and one minute later, his head dropped to his knees, fast asleep. Thankfully, no demon attempted to attack them that night.

* * *

The next day, an hour after Kagura set off to find them, Sango and her comrades set off searching for Tohyama. None of them could rest until they killed the crafty creature; he had done too much damage. They did not suspect that they would soon meet up with Kagura, who was bearing some unpleasant news for Sango… the news of her younger brother's death.

But for now, the group was reasonably happy for a group searching for a deadly demon. Kagome, walking next to Inuyasha, was constantly sneaking glances back at Miroku and Sango. At first she was disappointed to see they were not standing together, but when she looked back five minutes later, she got to see Miroku grab Sango's hand and tug her toward him. Sango's face was bright red. They now walked together hand in hand, to Kagome's delight.

Now if only Inuyasha and I could be like that, she thought wistfully.

That dumb Miroku. I bet Sango didn't want him to grab her hand… Inuyasha glanced at Kagome's hand, hanging limply by her side, not a foot from his own. That was forward, he thought. Kagome wouldn't like it. Try as he might to convince himself that impulsively grabbing Kagome's hand would be a bad thing, it wasn't working.

Kagome glanced nervously over at Inuyasha and saw his fingers twitching, as if itching to do something. She glanced at the ground, wondering whether what he wanted to do was simply kill Naraku or Tohyama, or something along those lines, anyway.

Shippo glanced up at Kagome and Inuyasha's predicament, and then back at Sango and Miroku, and then shook his head. He had always expected Inuyasha and Kagome to get together before Sango and Miroku, but now… the young fox demon sighed. Pathetic.

Just as Inuyasha began to reach for Kagome's hand, a great wind blew up and Kagura and Kanna descended from the skies on her great white feather.

"Sorry to interrupt," Kagura said sarcastically, landing on the ground with Kanna stationed behind her.

"The houshi and the taijiya," Kanna said softly. Sango stiffened, and glared at the child.

"What about them?" Kagura said, the mocking smile never leaving her arrogant face. She opened her fan and waved it lazily in front of her face, awaiting Kanna's response.

"They are… in love," Kanna said blankly, eyes focusing on Sango's red face. The child's lips twitched ever so slightly, as if she wanted to smile, but couldn't.

"Oh?" Kagura closed her fan with a snap and smirked.

Sango, still blushing and avoiding everyone's stare, was slightly relieved but nervous to see that Kohaku didn't come leaping out. "Kagura," she said fiercely, her voice echoing through the wood, "where is my brother?"

Kagura inwardly winced, but laughed in a loud, nonchalant voice, "Your brother? Your brother is dead!"

Sango's legs gave out and she began to crumple to the ground. Miroku dashed forward and caught her, and she lay limp, held up only by his arms. The news of Kohaku's death hit her like an avalanche. She didn't know who was holding her up; all she saw was the chuckling Kagura who had informed her of this terrible tragedy.

"Naraku killed him," Kanna said slowly, glancing over at Kagura. Though her supposed sibling was laughing, Kanna could tell that a part of her had just died at having to inform the slayer that her brother was dead by her master's hand.

Damn that Naraku, Kagura thought as she watched the fallen slayer.

"Ko…ha…ku…" Sango choked out, tears filling her eyes. All she could say was her brother's name. All she could hear was Kohaku's laugh. All she could see was… Naraku.

That evil bastard was the cause of all her pain, all her suffering. It was he who created the Wind Tunnel in Miroku's hand. It was he who bewitched her brother to kill their father and their friends. It was he who set the trap for the Slayer's village. It was he who killed Kohaku.

Naraku.

And before her stood Kagura, an incarnation of Naraku.

Sango stood on her weak legs, and grabbed the Hiraikotsu. Felling an incarnation was not as good, and it would never ease her. But it would do for today. "Hiraikotsu!" she bellowed as she flung her giant boomerang at the sorceress.

Kagura's face contorted in surprise and she let out a short, curt cry: "Kanna!" Without any hesitation, the child floated forward and blocked Sango's weapon with her mirror, sending it whirling back at her.

Sango gave a yelp of surprise and pain when the Hiraikotsu collided with her ribs. She crashed back upon the ground, and Miroku turned upon the two, so furious that he was ready to suck them in with the Wind Tunnel. He found them gone, and when he glanced up in the sky, he saw Kagura's regret-filled gaze float back toward Sango. Then they disappeared, and Miroku turned his attention to Sango.

"She's out cold," Kagome's worried voice informed him. The girl was kneeling by the taijiya's side, glancing over her to inspect if any serious damage had been done. "Let's move her to where the blanket is."

"Yeah," Inuyasha agreed. Though it was obvious Miroku wanted to carry her, the hanyou picked up his friend and carried her over to the soft picnic blanket (Kagome had called it such).

Kagome looked at Sango one last time and announced, "I'm going back to my own time to get some medicine. I'll be back soon." Without waiting for anyone's consent, Kagome dashed off.

* * *

"Hah!" Kagome exclaimed as she hopped into the Bone-Eater's Well. There was a flash of light, and Kagome disappeared, her bicycle and huge yellow backpack left resting against the side of the well.

A beautiful woman in a threadbare kimono stepped out from behind the tree and walked over to the well. "Now's time," the woman said in a soft voice, "to put that information I learned earlier to use."

_TBC_


	4. Through the Well

**Chapter 4: Through the Well**

The beautiful woman smiled and stood up on the edge of the well. She spread out her arms and chanted a song in a strange, new language.

The old miko Kaede overheard this and rushed to the well to find, to her surprise, a lovely woman perched on the edge in a ratty white kimono. "Excuse me?" Kaede called warily, stepping closer. One hand clutched her bow, while the other reached behind to pull an arrow from her quiver. "Who are ye?"

Suddenly, a strange tentacle shot out of the bottom of the woman's kimono and struck Kaede in the shoulder, causing her to shout and fall to the ground.

_It burns like acid!_ Kaede thought, letting out a groan. She looked up at the creature masquerading as a human and wheezed, "What business do you have with that well, demon?"

"That is not for _you_ to know, mortal," cackled the creature, spinning around to reveal a face so ghastly that Kaede cried out. "Now die," it hissed. The demon raised its arm and a tentacle shot out of the sleeve of the kimono and impaled old Kaede's heart. There was a horrible sound and a gasping cry, and blood…

The old miko dropped to the ground, blood staining her clothes.

"You should not have disturbed me," seethed the now annoyed creature. It smiled, revealing rotten teeth. "But, I guess you won't bother anyone anymore, will you, priestess?" It turned back to the well and ran a hand over its face, obviously expecting something. When the face did not change, the demon sighed in annoyance and grumbled, "Well, this body _was_ rotting when I found it."

It ran its other hand over its whole body and said, "Well, I guess I'll just have to use this one again." The creature's body started to change, and its clothing returned to a baggy blue gi and a black hakama. The face was the last to change, and when it did, its hair became dark brown and short, and its eyes changed from blue to bright green.

The demon observed this body with satisfaction, and restarted its chant. The well began to glow light blue, and the demon smiled and jumped in. With a _poof_, it disappeared, one hand clutching a sheathed katana.

* * *

"Mom! Grandpa! Sotaaa!" Kagome called as she walked in her front door and quickly took off her shoes. There was no answer, and Kagome decided that they were out. Shrugging, she ran upstairs and into the bathroom at full tilt, nearly colliding with the sink. She stopped herself, though, and reached up to the medicine cabinet. Wrenching it open, she and sifted through band-aids and gauzes until she reached a proper bandage to wrap up Sango's wound with.

"Ah-ha!" Kagome exclaimed to herself, pulling it down off its shelf. "Now," she said, looking back up, "to get some antibiotics."

Soon enough the girl found them, and hurried back to her front door, bandages and antibiotics in hand. She clumsily pulled on her shoes and sprinted back to the well. Throwing open the door, she screamed in surprise when a young man she recognized all too well was found leaning casually against the wall.

"Hello, Kagome-san," Tohyama, masquerading as Kyo, said conversationally. "How've you been? Mourning over Sango? That's too bad. Hey, who are those medicines for?"

The remedies hit the wooden floor with a clatter and Kagome backed up, shaking her head. "It's not possible," she said slowly, eyes wide. "You can't be here. Only Inuyasha and I can travel through the well."

"Me too, I suppose," Tohyama said, smiling and shrugging. He took a step toward her and unsheathed his sword.

Kagome flinched and screamed desperately, _"Inuyasha!"_

"Inuyasha can't save you now," Tohyama said darkly. He took another step toward her and Kagome sunk down to her knees, afraid that this was the end. But the demon walked past her, and out the door.

Kagome stood, and called after him, hands clutching her skirt, "Where are you going? Come back!" He paid her no mind, and strode on ahead. Kagome's brow furrowed, and she took an arrow from her quiver and readied her bow. "Stop, or I'll shoot!" Tohyama ignored her, and she shot. The arrow whizzed past his ear. She gulped. "I mean it! Stop, or next time, _I will hit you_!"

"But surely," Tohyama said disdainfully, turning to look at her, "you meant to hit me that time?"

Kagome flinched inwardly, and readied another arrow, and shot it without hesitation. It headed straight for the demon's skull, and she let out a cry of triumph… only to see him catch it.

Tohyama stared at the flimsy arrow in his hand and carelessly snapped it in half. He walked back toward her and raised his sword. "You nuisance," he hissed. "Now you die."

Kagome cowered, and bellowed, _"Inuyasha! INUYASHAAA!"_

"I told you," Tohyama hollered as he brought his sword down, "he can't save y-" The demon stopped mid-sentence, and his mouth dropped open in surprise. His katana had been blocked by a large, fang-like sword: the Tetsusaiga.

Inuyasha smirked at him from behind the blade, and knocked Tohyama's katana away. "Don't worry, Kagome," he said without looking back at her. "I'm here now."

Kagome blinked away tears, and flung herself forward. She wrapped her arms around his waist, throwing him completely off balance.

Inuyasha stumbled, and nearly fell. "You fool!" he spat at her. "Get off!"

"S-sorry," Kagome said, pulling away. Inuyasha turned back to Tohyama, and the girl cheered, "You can do it, Inuyasha!"

"I know," Inuyasha said confidently.

Tohyama watched this with a smirk on his face. "As humorous as that diversion was," he said airily, "I would like to return to my business now."

"Yeah? What's your business?" Inuyasha yelled, charging forward with a cry of, "WIND SCAR!"

Tohyama casually stepped to the side, and the attack, much to Inuyasha and Kagome's surprise, missed him completely. "You might want to avoid destroying Kagome-san's home, you filthy hanyou."

"Yeah!" Kagome piped up, staring at the huge hole in the wall. "Be more careful, Inuyasha!"

"But my business? I have come to take over, of course," Tohyama said, smiling. Without waiting for Inuyasha to do another Wind Scar, Tohyama leaped through the hole and raced down the steps into the city.

"Oh, no!" Kagome squealed, picking herself up and dashing outside. She glanced around nervously and exclaimed to Inuyasha, "He's gone!"

"Don't worry, Kagome," Inuyasha said, walking out and thumping a hand down on her shoulder. She glanced at him in surprise. "I'll get him back. You stay here."

"No!" Kagome said forcefully. "I will not stay here! I'm… I'm going to go with you, Inuyasha!" With that said, Kagome grabbed his hand with her own and held it tight, staring earnestly into his amber eyes.

"Well, fine, then," Inuyasha said, trying to make it sound like she was a burden. He shrugged. "I'll just have to protect you."

A pink blush spread across Kagome's face as Inuyasha watched, and he inwardly smirked, not knowing that he was also blushing.

"But, wait a second, Inuyasha," Kagome said suddenly. "You can't go looking like that. I'll be right back!" She dashed off into her house before Inuyasha had the chance to say anything, and returned with a blue and white baseball cap a minute later. "Here!" she exclaimed, handing it to him.

"Uhm, thanks," Inuyasha said slowly, fingering the cap before putting it on his head and pulling it low. "Let's go, Kagome."

"Yes!" she agreed. He started down the steps, and she followed after him.

* * *

"Ugh! No sign of him!" Inuyasha complained twenty minutes later. Finding Tohyama was proving to be very difficult.

Kagome eyed the people around her in search for the familiar clothes. Having no luck, the girl cried in a worried voice, she exclaimed, "But we _have _to find him!"

"I know we have to find him," Inuyasha said irritably. He turned to go in another direction, when screams echoed through the air. Both of them whirled around and sprinted in that direction. They arrived at a scene most horrific: Tohyama stood outside Kagome's school, sword brandished at the terrified students. He was laughing; it was obvious this was just for fun.

"Tohyama!" Inuyasha barked, stepping forward.

The demon paused, and glanced over at Inuyasha, a puzzled look upon his face. "Yes, what is it?" He smiled. "I was just having some fun with the students." He motioned to three girls lying on the facedown ground beside him. "These girls talked of you, Kagome-san."

Kagome's hand flew to her mouth. "Yuka… Eri… Ayumi…" Tears sprung into her arms and she made to run forward, but Inuyasha held her back. "What have you done to them?" Kagome shrieked.

But Tohyama didn't answer. He was too busy cleaning blood off his sword with the sleeve of his gi. A moment later, he glanced up. "What did you say, Kagome-san?" he asked pleasantly.

Kagome burst into loud, heart-wrenching tears and sunk to the ground.

"I never said they were dead, Kagome-san." Kagome's head shot up, and Tohyama smiled evilly, revealing sharp fangs. "But they may be. Not many people can survive such injuries." He shook his head at her. "If only you two had arrived earlier, you might have been able to save them. Tsk, tsk…"

Kagome let out a scream and collapsed on the ground, clutching her heart. Tears ran down her face and she crept forward on her knees to where her friends' bodies lay. Gently, she reached out and turned one toward her. Kagome's mouth opened in a silent shriek when Yuka's eyes pierced her own, as if to say, 'You failed us, Kagome.'

The girl flung the body of her friend away and threw herself back in Inuyasha's arms, sobbing without restraint. All civilians around them had fled with the news of the schoolgirl's death, so now it was only Kagome, Inuyasha, Tohyama and three bodies who stood next to Kagome's school.

"Bastard," Inuyasha seethed, seeing Kagome's state. The hanyou immediately wrapped his arms around Kagome in comfort, all the while musing on how to get Tohyama to come back to the past._Sango and Miroku are waiting for us in the past,_ he thought. _Sango's in danger; we have to hurry and get Tohyama back!_

"What?" Tohyama exclaimed.

"I didn't say anything!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Yes, but your thoughts. I read them," Tohyama said with a sneer. He opened his mouth to speak, but Inuyasha interrupted him with a surprised exclamation full of dread.

"Since when can you read thoughts!"

"I've gained powers since we last met," Tohyama said, and smirked. But now he focused on Inuyasha's thoughts, and asked sharply, "You mentioned that woman Sango. It is impossible for her to be 'waiting', or for her to be 'in danger'; I killed her. Surely you are delusional, hanyou." His eyes narrowed.

"No! A power was so great that she was revived!" Inuyasha boasted. He paused, and quickly rethought his sentence. "I mean, your lowly power could not kill Sango!"

Tohyama's eyes thinned to slits. "Liar," he seethed. "I stabbed her through the heart. It is not possible for her to be alive!"

Whilst Kagome sobbed in his arms, Inuyasha continued to rub it in that Sango was alive, succeeding in making Tohyama very, very angry. Inuyasha simply thought this would lead to a reckless and easy battle, so he was surprised when Tohyama took off, running past the bodies of Kagome's friends, back toward the shrine.

"Huh?" Inuyasha exclaimed, spinning around to look at the retreating form of Tohyama. "Where's he going? He's not… going back to the shrine, is he?" The hanyou let out a scream of derisive laughter. "That idiot! The truth tricked him into returning to the past!" He turned to Kagome. "Come on, Kagome!"

Slowly, Kagome stood, swayed, and then wiped the tears from her eyes. Not mustering the power to speak, she followed Inuyasha back to her house, and then down through the well (but not before picking up the medicine she had dropped).

* * *

_Impossible! _Tohyama thought furiously as he was dumped outside the Bone-Eater's Well. He absently noticed that the old priestess' body had been carried away. _That taijiya is not alive! She cannot be alive!_Jumping up to a tree, Tohyama waited impatiently until Inuyasha and Kagome appeared. They ran off, and Tohyama followed stealthily. Soon, they arrived at the campsite, and when the demon saw Sango alive with his own eyes, he cursed her. He cursed Sango for somehow surviving and allowing Inuyasha to make a fool of him and drag him back to the past.

Tohyama watched Sango sit up, and raised his hand. A shuriken-like object appeared in his palm and he prepared to throw it at her, suddenly he decided on a different course of action. The demon smirked, and thought, _It would not be fair to fight them while a companion is injured. I will give them one more day._

And so, without making any noise whatsoever, Tohyama leaped into the skies, and disappeared.

* * *

Kagome crept over to Sango and applied the medicine, and wrapped gauze around her middle. "Nothing is broken," she said monotonously.

"Kagome-chan," Sango said, immediately sitting up, "is something the matter? What has happened?"

"Nothing. I am f… fine… Sango," Kagome said softly, averting her eyes to the ground. "Don't worry about me."

Sango's eyes narrowed. Kagome wasn't a very good liar at best, and at this state, it was totally obvious something big must have happened. The taijiya glanced over at Inuyasha and opened her mouth to speak, but Shippo got there first.

"What's wrong with Kagome?" he asked urgently.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, undoubtedly something blunt, about the problem, when Kagome interrupted him. "Please don't tell them, Inuyasha."

"Why? Is it a secret? Tell me!" Sango demanded sharply. She knew she was being nosy and rude, but would do anything to see Kagome's bright, naïve smile again.

"My friends," Kagome whispered to the floor. "Tohyama… he… he…" She stopped, and threw herself into Sango's arms, sobbing once more. Sango froze with a shocked expression on her face, and then immediately returned her sad embrace.

"Kagome, did Tohyama do something to your friends in your era? How is that possible!" Miroku asked, eyes wide in confusion.

"Yeah. He managed to somehow get through the well and to Kagome's era. I don't know how he did it," Inuyasha shrugged, and lowered his eyes to the ground, "but he… he killed Kagome's friends."

Kagome burst into a fresh round of sobs, and Sango's arms tightened. The ache in her stomach forgotten, Sango vowed, "We will kill him for you and your friends, Kagome. That—"

But Miroku interrupted her: "And for you, Sango."

Sango nodded, and continued, "That demon deserves to die a thousand deaths."

* * *

The next day, Sango's bruised stomach was a bit better, and they moved on to an old, abandoned village. From far away it had looked inhabited, so they had immediately run toward it, in search of a person to tell them of Tohyama's whereabouts. Finding the village broken and deserted, they explored it, looking for evidence that Tohyama might have been there.

No luck.

Sango and her companions returned from their different places in the village and told the others what they had found: nothing.

All sighing in disappointment, they slumped down against the wall of a shattered hut, and ate their lunch.

"This is dumb," Inuyasha said between mouthfuls of delicious ramen. "I don't think we'll _ever _find him. Stupid bastard. Where could he have disappeared to?"

"He must see you as a formidable enemy," Sango said sarcastically; she was in no mood for talking. When the taijiya saw Inuyasha smile arrogantly and agree, Sango sighed, realizing that he had completely missed the sarcasm and that statement had done nothing but boost his ego. Deciding to not clarify that it had been a joke, Sango fell silent.

Miroku scooted closer to Sango and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Her face reddened, and she hesitantly put her head on his shoulder. Squeezing slightly, the houshi smiled and said to Inuyasha, "Don't worry. We'll get him."

Kagome gave a slow smile at the obvious love between the two. She had still not recovered, and a small, tentative smile was all she could muster, but when her friends saw it, it assured them that Kagome was going to be all right.

Just then, a great wind blew up. Immediately, Inuyasha and his comrades tensed, and stood up, weapons at the ready: Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, Sango grabbed the Hiraikotsu, Kagome pulled an arrow from her quiver, and Miroku's grip on his staff tightened dangerously.

Dirt and sand were whipped around in the air, and who should step out of that storm but 'Kyo', smiling as if he was a kind, innocent young man, not a demon bent on taking over the future.

"Tohyama!" Sango shouted, hand shielding her eyes from the dirt. Her hair blew around her face, and she slung her boomerang at the demon with a cry of, "Hiraikotsu!"

Tohyama unsheathed his katana and, as the boomerang whirled toward him, lunged forward and chopped the great bone in two. The halves clattered to the ground behind him. Sheathing his sword, the demon walked forward and chided, "Sango-san, that was very unkind of you."

Sango's mouth had dropped open. "M-my Hiraikotsu!" she stuttered.

Inuyasha growled and raised the Tetsusaiga. "WIND SCAR!" he bellowed. The golden path of destruction made its way to Tohyama in a matter of seconds, but the creature jumped and the attack missed it. Inuyasha cursed under his breath, but stopped mid-word when Tohyama curled up into a ball, and then with a cry, expanded into something horrible.

So this was it. This was Tohyama's true form.

"I have been following you all throughout your quest—as Nakamura, as Kyo." The thing grinned maliciously, its voice a mess of one thousand demons and humans combined.

Kagome was utterly horrified by it's appearance—the head of the man they had come to know was bobbing in the center of a million youkai appendages. On the end of most tentacles was the head of a person or a demon, and some Kagome recognized. She saw Nakamura and the demon that had rendered her unconscious earlier on in the journey—the most horrifying was the empty shell of a small child. "Have you…" Her voice wavered and her sentence ended there.

"I devoured all the creatures who are on my being—including Kyo. I killed him and stole his image—and deceived you well. You all fell deep into my trap." The creature smirked.

Inuyasha gaped at him. "You… you're… disgusting… hideous!" he spluttered, turning away.

Tohyama frowned. "That's not polite, is it?" it seethed. "You will die for your impertinence!" A dark green tentacle was raised and it flew toward Inuyasha, creating a wide, angry crack along the ground.

Inuyasha jumped to the side, and barely avoided the appendage. Changing direction, the thing sped toward him again, and this time, Inuyasha held up Tetsusaiga and used the sword to block it. To his surprise, the hanyou found himself being pushed back.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked.

Inuyasha grunted, and, using all his strength, shoved the tentacle off him and chopped it in two. Tohyama hissed, and pulled back. Inuyasha smirked in triumph, but his confident grin changed into a horrified grimace when he saw the tentacle reform and come at him again.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted, grabbing the beads that were wrapped around his cursed hand and ripping them off. "I'll suck him in! Get out of the way!" Just as Miroku was about to unleash his Wind Tunnel, Tohyama laughed. Miroku started in surprise and glared at his opponent. "What's so funny, demon?" he snapped.

"I would not do such a thing, houshi," Tohyama said silkily.

But Miroku wasn't listening. He opened the Wind Tunnel and Tohyama's eyes widened as he felt the strong wind pull him toward the houshi. Scowling, he let one green appendage go, and it was immediately pulled inside. Miroku stiffened, and immediately closed off the hole. Groaning, he shouted "I leave it to you, Inuyasha!" and ran back to where Sango stood anxiously only to collapse in her arms.

"H-houshi-sama!" she stammered. "What's wrong?" Going to the ground with him, she turned him over in her arms and inspected his cursed hand. The forearm was rapidly turning a dark red-purple color, and seemed to be causing the houshi a lot of pain.

Kagome glanced to Miroku and back to Inuyasha desperately, debating whether she should go help her friend or fight alongside her beloved. Deciding she was needed in battle after seeing Inuyasha's futile attempts at killing Tohyama, she raced forward and let loose a sacred arrow.

Tohyama let out a scream of pain when the arrow connected with a tentacle and obliterated it, along with Nakamura's head. He growled and sent a purple tentacle shooting toward her. He smirked. Little did Kagome and the others know, that single tentacle had the power to inject a deadly poison to whoever touched it. But it killed humans alone; demons were simply weakened a little by it, and half-demons knocked unconscious by it.

"K-Kagome!" Inuyasha bellowed, charging toward her and intercepting the tentacle with his own body.

Tohyama frowned; a chance to kill the girl was gone. That interfering hanyou had to die! "Fool," he hissed, "feel the pain of my poison!"

Inuyasha sucked in a great breath and staggered backwards. Kagome turned to him anxiously, and let out a cry when he fell backwards. His sight went in and out of focus, and just as black started to take over, Kagome leaned over him and began to shout his name.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha! What's wrong?"

No response. His vision went black; he neither saw nor heard.

_"Inuyasha!"_ Kagome screamed, shaking him madly. When he lay limply in her arms, she stood and faced Tohyama, arrow at the ready, tears shining in her eyes.

Sango glanced up, and thought gloomily, _I don't think… that we will live through this. _Her sorrow was somehow muted, as if her body and mind did not want to accept that this might be her last time to see sunlight.

"Die!" Kagome shouted, and shot her arrow directly at his sole purple appendage.

Tohyama started in surprise and tried to move it, but it was not responding. He let out an indistinguishable cry, and then another when the arrow connected successfully, and almost ¼ of his body was blown to smithereens by one simple schoolgirl.

Suddenly, several pairs of soft, padding footsteps were heard coming toward them.

Tohyama's head whipped around. _Intruders?_

A demon dressed in the garb of a nobleman stepped out before them, followed by a young human girl and an imp-like demon. "So, _this_ is your true form," he said in a deep, emotionless voice. The golden eyes narrowed. "How disgusting."

"Sessh-Sesshoumaru!" Sango stuttered, eyes locking on his narrowed amber orbs. "What… what are you doing here?"

"I've come to defeat Tohyama. My idiot brother was incapable of doing so, as I suspected," the taiyoukai said disdainfully, stepping over his unconscious half-breed sibling. "A hanyou is a hanyou until death. I only wish _I _was the one who had done it."

"He's not dead!" shrieked Kagome. "He's just unconscious, can't you tell!"

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air once again, and frowned. "It is so." Smiling a slight, evil smirk, the demon said, "At least now _I _shall be the one to kill him, and not some petty imp in the same class as Naraku." His words held a bitterness that stung even Sango, who flinched.

"How dare you interfere?" Tohyama roared, shooting a dozen tentacles at Sesshoumaru's face. "And who is this Naraku?"

"Naraku is a demon who will be killed by me, just as you will be," the taiyoukai hissed, unsheathing the Tokijin. A fraction of a second before appendages reached him, Sesshoumaru bellowed, "Dragon Strike!" Pale turquoise light filled the sky, and there was a gasping cry of pain from Tohyama as the attack had the same affect on his body as Kagome's arrow had, only stronger.

Sango gasped in amazement and shielded her eyes with the sleeve of her kimono and listened to Tohyama's grotesque, rasping screams. She clutched Miroku's shoulders and whispered, "I think we might be getting through this after all, houshi-sama." When there was no response, she looked down at the houshi and repeated urgently, "Houshi-sama?"

But he was unconscious, left hand gripping the cursed right, which was now almost black.

"Oh, Miroku!" Sango said desperately. It was the first time Sango had said his real name, and Miroku wasn't awake to hear it. "Wake up, damn you! You can't die now!"

Sesshoumaru glanced over at Sango, hunched over the houshi's unconscious form, and his eyes hardened. Averting his eyes from them back to Tohyama, Sesshoumaru let loose another Dragon Strike on the other side of Tohyama's body; the demon was a victim of Sesshoumaru's misdirected rage.

Tohyama let out another screech of horror and pain and retreated into shadow. Sesshoumaru lowered his sword and snarled at the demon, lip curling in rage. Fearing the great taiyoukai, Tohyama sent out a feeble green tentacle and Sesshoumaru knocked it aside, enraged.

"Useless! That's _useless_!" he growled furiously. "Stop with your pointless assaults! You know they will do _nothing_!" Sesshoumaru punctuated 'nothing' by pointing the Tokijin at Tohyama and watching with satisfaction as the demon tried to protect itself from Tokijin's evil, but failed and another few appendages were obliterated.

Tohyama let out a scream of frustration and rose up further into the sky, bellowing at the taiyoukai, "Stop mocking me! Now suffer in your own weakness!"

"What are you talking about? I have no weakness!"

Tohyama simply laughed, and the face in the center, Kyo's face, closed its eyes. Two silver triangles appeared in the center of its forehead, and Sesshoumaru felt himself pulled forward, toward the demon, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Sango also felt the pull, and suddenly she was flying forward, Sesshoumaru beside her…

… and suddenly, the abandoned village was gone, and it was night in a deep evergreen forest. The full moon was shining, and when Sango tried to move forward and look around; she found that she could not move.

Sango let out a shout of surprise and tried to move her arms. They didn't obey, and stayed at her sides. She was up against a tree, and though there weren't any visible bounds, she was stuck, and stuck fast. Still she struggled, and cried out to Sesshoumaru, who stood before her. _Can he move? _Sango thought. _Why isn't he answering me?_ "Sesshoumaru!" she repeated furiously.

The taiyoukai's hands rushed to his ears, and felt the pointed tips. Next he fingered his silver hair, and seemed horrified by the appearance of both. Sango squinted to see what was bothering him, but noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

"I…"

Sango started in surprise. Sesshoumaru had spoken, and it had sounded surprisingly fragile.

"I'm… _human_."

Sango's mouth dropped open. "No, you are not!" she shouted. _An illusion,_ she thought. Then, before her eyes, Sesshoumaru's image rippled and became distorted. A light appeared, and blinded Sango for a minute. When the light disappeared, Sango gasped. The Sesshoumaru standing in front of her had black hair, normal ears, and no markings!

_What's going on? A second ago, he was a demon!_ she told herself, and willed him back to normal. When he didn't change, she began to panic. _No, Sango, you're falling for the illusion! Stop it!_

"What has… what has happened to me?" Sesshoumaru choked, running a clawless hand over his cheeks. Bright brown eyes stared out at the woods where they now stood, and his black hair blew gracefully in the wind.

"Sesshoumaru! This is an illusion!" Sango barked. Sesshoumaru didn't respond. _He… he can't see or hear me!_ Sango thought. The taijiya's eyes narrowed. _What am I going to do? How am I going to snap him out of this?_

The once great taiyoukai got down on his knees and stared at his hands. His regular humans ears finally picked up the sound of running water, and he dashed off as fast as a human could, out of Sango's sight.

"No! Come back!" Sango shouted.

Sesshoumaru, rushing to the brook to see if it was really true, thought, _This isn't possible_. He raced over to the bank and splashed in. His reflection rippled and then calmed, revealing an indeed human Sesshoumaru! The former demon staggered backwards and away from the brook, the bottom of his pants soaked, his whole body wet.

Sesshoumaru instinctively sniffed the air. Of course, nothing. He listened for the sound of laughter, in case this was someone's idea of a joke. Nothing. The lord slashed at a random tree in his rage, momentarily forgetting his loss of power. Letting out a yelp of rage and pain, Sesshoumaru jerked his hand back and inspected the bloody mess.

"Damn it all!" he screamed to the skies. Plunking himself down, he tried to force himself to remember what happened, and how he got this way. A moment later, Tohyama appeared in his mind and Sesshoumaru growled. _That's right… the evil demon had said 'Suffer in your weakness.'_ He bristled. It was he who turned him this way!

Sesshoumaru stood, and thought anxiously, _How long will I be like this?_

* * *

Sango craned her neck in hope to see the taiyoukai, and having no luck, she sighed deeply. "That idiot… where'd he run off to?" she mumbled to herself.

Nearly half-an-hour later, Sesshoumaru appeared through the trees once again, and Sango's head snapped up from where it had been hanging by her chest. Emotions dueled on the surface of his face and he seemed to be in denial.

_I,_ Sango thought, _would be too._

There was a great noise from far to the left, and Sesshoumaru turned, while Sango's head whipped to the side attentatively. Three demons appeared through the trees and let out a growl of surprise when they saw the hapless Sesshoumaru in the way.

_So this is Tohyama's plan, _Sango realized. _He thinks to kill Sesshoumaru in this illusion. _Her eyes hardened. _I won't allow that to happen!_ It didn't occur to her that she was working to save someone that would kill his own brother without hesitation, or that Sesshoumaru was her enemy. He had saved her, and now it was the taijiya's turn to return the favor.

But was that all there was to it?

"Who is that?" one demon warbled.

"Looks like a rich human," another remarked, taking a step toward Sesshoumaru. "Let's steal his swords. They look valuable!"

Sesshoumaru scowled and drew Tokijin without hesitation. Sheath-less, the sword nearly cut Sesshoumaru's empty sleeve in half. The man grunted and mumbled darkly about getting a scabbard. He tried lifting it up above his head, but staggered under the weight. Grunting, Sesshoumaru brought it down toward a demon, but the creature took one step to the side and Sesshoumaru was pulled forward when the sword hit the dirt. He cursed his own weakness, grabbed the sword again, and turned to face the demon.

Sango looked on sadly, mulling over how the great taiyoukai had been reduced to this by a simple transformation.

The demons laughed. "You are weak, human!" said one, bringing a fist the size of Sesshoumaru's head down on the former demon's skull. Sesshoumaru, using all his strength, threw away the Tokijin and drew Tenseiga, hoping that it would be lighter, and used it to block the demon's fist. Unfortunately only slightly lighter, Sesshoumaru barely managed to hold it up, but the demon attacking pulled back and swiped at him with the other meaty paw.

Sesshoumaru was forced to the ground by the power of one hand, and hit the dirt. Motionless for a second, he lay on the ground. Slowly, one hand came up to touch his aching side, where the demon hit him. Nothing was broken, but a bad bruise would form there and be very painful until—and if—he regained his demon powers. He began to get up, swaying slightly. Sesshoumaru faced the demons with a glare worthy of his demon's self, but they only laughed once more.

"Looks like he still has some life in him!"

"Lookit that glare! That's a glower worthy of a demon!"

But then the head demon announced, "This is becoming tiresome. You," he said to Sesshoumaru, "die now."

Sango started in surprise and watched as the creature drew a huge, wide sword. _Oh, no! _she thought. _Sesshoumaru is doomed! _"Sesshoumaru!" she bellowed. He, of course, gave no response and neither did the demons attacking. _"Sesshoumaru!" _she screamed again. Fighting her invisible bonds with as much strength as she could muster, Sango bellowed his name over and over, hoping desperately for a glance in her direction.

"_SESSHOUMARU!"_ she hollered as the demon raised his sword over the lord's head. Everything seemed to slow down, and Sango saw Sesshoumaru straighten up and look around in confusion. Had it worked? The taijiya tried again, and pushed forward with all her might. With the feeling of a great weight lifting off her shoulders, Sango sprang forward off the tree, lost her balance and fell toward the taiyoukai.

"A human girl?" barked the demon. "Where did she come from!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. "You?" he cried. "When did you… you've been watching this whole—oof!" His sentence was cut off as Sango barreled into him.

"This is all an illusion," she told him urgently. "Wake up, Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru stared at her in surprise. Suddenly, the scene around him fragmented. The demons disappeared along with the forest, and he found himself back in the abandoned village, Sango holding to him tightly.

Miroku stood a few yards away from them. Sango and Sesshoumaru watched as his mouth dropped open, and his eyes flitted to Sango, then to Sesshoumaru, then to Sango's hands around Sesshoumaru's neck and Sesshoumaru's arms around Sango's waist, and then back to Sango. His mouth opened and closed, as if he wanted to speak but could not muster the words.

"Sango!" came Kagome and Shippo's shriek.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" squealed Rin and Jaken.

It seemed to wake Miroku up. The houshi ran over and tore Sango off Sesshoumaru and into his arms.

Sesshoumaru let Sango go immediately, and glanced at his hands. They were clawed. He ran a finger over his ear and through his hair. His ears were pointed and his hair silver. He was a demon again.

"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha growled, racing over and drawing Tetsusaiga.

"Stop!" Sango exclaimed. She turned to Miroku, whose arms were wrapped around her. "What's going on? How long were we gone? Where's Tohyama?"

"You've been gone for two days," Miroku said, the cursed hand coming up to absently caress Sango's cheek. Sango noted that his hand was no longer black, but more of a deep red color. Had it gotten better, or worse? "Tohyama sucked you and," he glared at the taiyoukai, "Sesshoumaru into a strange portal and you were gone."

"Two days?" Sango asked softly, focusing on Miroku's hand. She brought a hand up and pulled Miroku's sleeve back, exposing the red arm. She did not miss Miroku's wince when she accidentally touched the redness. "Is it… getting better?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Miroku said hurriedly. He lowered his voice and whispered in her ear, "When you two appeared, you were embracing. What…?"

Sango flushed. "Don't be so jealous," she chided the houshi. "He was under the impression that he was—" A curt noise from behind told Sango not to expose the details, so she spoke again, words chosen carefully: "I fell."

"Oh?" Miroku asked, obviously unconvinced. "He was under the impression that he was what, Sango?" When the taijiya didn't respond, he scowled at the taiyoukai. "You may leave now, demon," he growled.

"Where is Tohyama?" Sesshoumaru asked levelly, forcing himself to not go over and snap the houshi in two. Sango did not look all too happy in his arms, but she didn't look unhappy either. They were worrying him, these strange feelings. He glanced over Sango again, and then he looked at the houshi. It couldn't be… it wasn't possible… that he was _jealous_, was it?

It had never occurred to him before… but now it seemed so plausible! But she was _human_; why would he be jealous?

"Tohyama fled once he put you two under that spell. He seemed to think you would never get out," Kagome exclaimed.

"How foolish of him," Sesshoumaru said monotonously. He began to walk off and Sango bit her lip so she wouldn't say anything. But, to her surprise, Sesshoumaru leaped up on the roof of on building and sat down, eyes closed.

"What are you doing?" Miroku and Inuyasha barked at the same time.

"I am waiting for Tohyama to return," Sesshoumaru explained flatly. "Do you honestly think I would stay for no reason? Be not a fool." Sesshoumaru's lip curled. "I need not to stay with you."_Except,_Sesshoumaru admitted to himself, _it is somehow… calming… to see that annoying human woman, even in the arms of that degenerate houshi. _The taiyoukai's golden eyes found the two in an embrace, and thought, _Then again, perhaps not._

* * *

Later that evening, Inuyasha strode inside the hut where all save Sesshoumaru slept. He had been watching his brother stare intently at the moon. The taiyoukai had not moved since he settled there.

"I hate having him here," Inuyasha complained.

Jaken snorted indignantly, and stood up from where he had been curled up in the corner. Rin pulled him back down, shushing him.

"He's only here to defeat Tohyama," Sango said wearily.

"_I'm_ going to defeat Tohyama!" Inuyasha snarled at the taijiya.

"Last time I checked, you were knocked out by a single tentacle!" Sango snapped, standing up.

Inuyasha followed suit. "Well, what can Sesshoumaru do? He was weak enough to fall into a stupid illusion! You don't see me doing that, do you, Sango?" the hanyou growled.

Sango did not know that this was a lie, that he had in fact been trapped in an illusion. But neither Miroku, Shippo nor Kagome wished to bring that up, as it might seem to Inuyasha that they were protecting Sesshoumaru, just as all of them felt Sango was doing now.

"I don't care! Sesshoumaru managed to obliterate half of Tohyama's body! But I guess you didn't see," Sango growled, "you were already _knocked out_!"

That stung. Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but Miroku stood and demanded of Sango, "Why are you protecting Sesshoumaru?"

Sango's mouth dropped open. "I… I… I'm not!" she spluttered helplessly. She looked to Kagome, Shippo and even Rin for assistance, but they all avoided her glance. The taijiya scowled and strode out the door, into the evening air.

Sango kept walking out into the night, furious. _I wasn't protecting Sesshoumaru! _she told herself. A few minutes past, and she sighed. _Maybe I was. But he saved my life!_ Suddenly Sango looked back and saw Sesshoumaru silhouetted against the moon. The sight took her breath away.

He looked in her direction, and she let out a squeak and ducked behind a hovel, praying that he hadn't saw her.

_Wait one minute, _she thought. _Why am I freaking out like this? Stand up, Sango, it's not like you were ogling him. _So she stood, and looked out to where Sesshoumaru had been sitting, to find him gone.

"He's coming."

Sango jumped in surprise and turned around. Sesshoumaru stood, facing away from her and into the trees, sword drawn. "Who?" Sango couldn't help but ask.

"Tohyama," Sesshoumaru said, looking back slightly and giving her a shadowy profile of his porcelain face. His eyes narrowed, and he turned back to the forest.

Sango nodded, and rushed back to the hut to inform the others of Tohyama's arrival. "Inuyasha! Kagome! H-"—she paused—"houshi-sama!"

"What's going on, Sango?" Miroku asked, leaping to attention.

"Tohyama has returned," Sango said gravely. Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but Sango held up a hand, already knowing what he had to say. "Your brother is waiting outside."

"Then let's go!" Kagome said. She turned to Shippo and Rin. "You stay here, okay?" she said kindly.

"O-okay," Shippo said eagerly. "I'll stay."

"Rin will stay," the little girl said softly. She reached for Kirara and smiled. "Kirara can stay with me, right?"

Kagome looked at Sango, who nodded. "It might be best." She knelt next to her feline friend and stroked her head. "I'm not sure what she will be able to do in this situation."

"What about me?" Jaken screeched, tiny clawed hands placed on his hips, the Staff of Heads forgotten.

"You stay here too," Sango ordered.

Jaken whirled around and stalked to the back of the hut where Rin and Shippo were waiting, mumbling about how he was strong enough to fight. Despite his grumbling, Sango saw, by his eager gait, that he was happy he was not joining in the battle.

Kagome smiled at Shippo, vowed to be back and headed outside with Inuyasha. Sango stood up and watched fondly as Kirara trotted over to the happy Rin. She turned around, and found to her surprise that Miroku was waiting for her. She smiled warmly. "Thank you, houshi-sama."

Miroku's grin weakened a little. He sighed inwardly. _After all that has happened, she still calls me houshi-sama… _"Let's go," Miroku said, his smile gradually returning to normal, "Sango."

Sango agreed, and both rushed out to see the battle already raging.

Sesshoumaru faced Tohyama with a scowl to match that of a devil's, and Tohyama was gaping at him, and when he saw Sango, the green eyes in 'Kyo's' face grew even wider.

Sango smirked. "Thought we would never get out of that illusion, huh?" she taunted.

"How… how did you—?" Tohyama sputtered. He regained his composure, and asked, "How is it possible that you escaped the illusion? You are not powerful enough to break the spell, human! And you, Sesshoumaru, could not have possibly broken it without somebody's help. So how…?" He left the question unfinished, and glowered at the group of demons and humans standing before him.

"Not powerful enough?" growled Sango. "Well, I did break it, so apparently your illusions are not as strong as you think they are!"

"Or," Sesshoumaru cut in monotonously before he could stop himself, "you are stronger than he thinks you are." He glanced back at Sango.

Sango felt a pleased blush rise up into her cheeks, and heard Miroku's nearly inaudible growl. She forced the blush down, and looked back at the houshi. His face was screwed up in anger, not at Tohyama, but at Sesshoumaru. Was he _this _jealous…?

Tohyama caught sight of Miroku's expression and smiled inwardly. He could use this to his advantage.

The battlefield was then still.

Tohyama finished his contemplations over what he would do with the houshi and raced forward, shooting out a dozen tentacles at each member of the group. Sesshoumaru and Kagome managed to easily obliterate theirs, Inuyasha (after a few attempts) managed to destroy his for good, Sango chopped hers cleanly in half with her katana only to have it come after her again, and before Miroku could attack his, Tohyama reached out and grabbed him, bringing him close to one of the many heads on the other tentacles.

The houshi shut his eyes in horror as he came closer and closer to the decaying cranium of a young woman. He glanced back at Sango's horrified face, and let out a cry as a tentacle came up behind the taijiya, about to impale her. Hearing his shout, Sango whirled around and chopped the tentacle in two.

She watched it fall to the ground and shuddered as it twitched, and slowly fell still. The young woman turned back to Miroku, who was still in the monster's grasp. "Houshi-sama!" she cried, running forward to slice at the tentacle that held him.

Tohyama gladly let him go, but not before placing a purple tentacle over his face for an instant before pulling away. When the houshi dropped into Sango's arms, his eyes were glassy and his body was limp.

"Houshi-sama?" Sango asked quietly, shaking him. He was not dead, for he was breathing, but he would not respond. She glanced up. The battle had not stopped. Every so often, Inuyasha and Kagome would glance over. The message was clear: we leave you to him. Sesshoumaru had not paused, if anything he had become fiercer, hacking away at Tohyama with the Tokijin with unstoppable force.

* * *

"Sango?" Miroku called softly. He was walking through a forest at night, and a heavy mist covered the ground. Everything felt damp, and as he pushed through the fog, he heard voices. Soft voices. Whispering voices.

"Sango?" he repeated. The voices got closer. They were just beyond a think patch of soaked ferns. He walked through them, getting thoroughly wet. The voices quieted, and he ran past the ferns into an open clearing. "Sango? Inuyasha? Kagome?" the houshi called.

No answer.

Suddenly, a giggle sounded from above. A very familiar giggle.

Miroku glanced up, and his violet eyes widened in shock at what greeted him.

Up in the top branches of a tree sat Sango, curled up in none other than Sesshoumaru's arms. She was smiling at the taiyoukai, and the demon was staring back, though there was an unusual joyful light in his eyes.

"Sesshoumaru…"

Miroku padded softly to the base of the tree, and listened.

"I think I love you…"

Miroku's heart stilled. _What? She loves him? He is a demon. Impossible._

"Houshi-sama!"

He glanced up. Sango was staring, also wide-eyed, down at him. He glared back, expecting her to jump down, exclaiming pointless apologies. But she didn't move from Sesshoumaru's arms. In fact, she hugged him tighter and glanced away from the houshi.

"Sango, what are you _doing_?" Miroku asked impatiently. "Get down." Sango didn't move, but there was a soft mumble from above. It resembled 'I'm sorry.' The houshi frowned. "What?"

"I said," Sango said clearly, turning to face him, "I am sorry, houshi-sama, but I love Sesshoumaru."

Miroku dropped to his knees. _This is not possible! I must be… I must be dreaming!_ He rubbed at his eyes, and then glanced back at the tree, and Sango and Sesshoumaru still cuddled together in it. He pinched himself, and looked over at the two. They were still there. "Wake up!" he exclaimed to himself.

* * *

Sango watched Miroku writhe in her arms worriedly. "Houshi-sama! Houshi-sama, wake up!" She glanced up at Tohyama. "What did you do to him? Have you poisoned him? What have you done!"

"It is just an illusion." Tohyama smirked, and Sango relaxed, while Sesshoumaru went at it faster. He was getting nowhere. Though many tentacles were being destroyed with every stroke of Tokijin, there were thousands yet to come.

He turned to Sesshoumaru and the others. "Give up. You will never defeat me."

"Oh yeah?" cried Inuyasha.

Sango scowled at Tohyama, and turned back to Miroku. "Houshi-sama!" There was no response, and Sango cursed under her breath. "M-Miroku!" she cried in desperation.

Tohyama, now grinning, flicked the purple appendage that had put Miroku under the illusion. Suddenly, the houshi gasped in her arms and shot up, wide-awake. He was panting loudly, sweat running down his face.

_It was all an illusion… it was all an illusion… just an illusion!_ Miroku thought, breathing heavily.

"Houshi-sama!" Sango exclaimed, immediately reverting back to his old title.

"No," he corrected, slowly recovering, "Miroku. Call me Miroku, like you just did."

"M… M-Miroku?" she said hesitantly.

Miroku bent forward, and wrapped his arms around her. She gladly returned the embrace. The houshi used this time to glance around at the battlefield, and when he saw Sesshoumaru, he scowled, and decided to openly claim what was his. Making sure the taiyoukai had paused momentarily to watch, Miroku pulled back, jerked Sango's head toward his, and kissed her.

Sango's eyes widened in surprise, but she tentatively wrapped her arms around his neck, closed her eyes and returned the kiss, savoring the moment.

Kagome paused, an arrow fitted to her bow and ready to shoot. When she saw them kiss, the schoolgirl dropped the bow and cheered.

Inuyasha just gaped and then glanced at Kagome uneasily.

Sesshoumaru eyes narrowed, and he bellowed, "Dragon Strike!" Thankfully, it was not directed at Miroku, but at Tohyama. The attack was so powerful, and so full of feeling, that it managed to destroy over half of Tohyama's being.

"What?" Tohyama gasped, pulling away from the taiyoukai. Furious, the demon let loose another set of easily defeated green tentacles, and watched as they were destroyed by a swipe of Tokijin, one of Kagome's arrows, or Inuyasha's Wind Scar. Muttering angrily, Tohyama watched as his own doom approached.

Sango, now huddled at the back in Miroku's arms, sighed as she realized she had done nothing in this battle. Her Hiraikotsu split in two, she could do nothing, and neither could Miroku. They were no more helpful than Shippo, Rin, Jaken and Kirara, hiding in the hut.

Sesshoumaru, now more frustrated than ever, threw Tokijin away and drew Tenseiga. "The weak fang of a weak demon," he muttered darkly, cursing Tokijin. _Is that truly the extent of Dragon Strike's power? I should have defeated him._

"Ha!" Inuyasha exclaimed. Sesshoumaru glanced over at his younger half-brother. "That sword can't kill! What do you expect do to with it?"

"It can kill worthless creatures like Tohyama," Sesshoumaru growled impatiently, brandishing his father's fang.

Inuyasha frowned. Shrugging off his confusion, the hanyou pushed past his brother with a cry of, "Get out of the way!" and unleashed a Wind Scar on the unsuspecting Tohyama.

Sesshoumaru watched boredly as Inuyasha's attack obliterated more tentacles, and his eyes widened as he saw the select tentacles with the heads on them retreat backwards. _The heads…_Sesshoumaru raised the Tenseiga. _Perhaps if we destroy those, Tohyama will die. _As the taiyoukai brought his sword down to deliver an attack that would go for one of the heads, he paused, sheathed Tenseiga and grabbed Tokijin. _Those heads are human… Tenseiga will not do._

"Dragon Strike!" he bellowed. The blue light tore towards the young woman's head, and he watched in satisfaction as Tohyama tried to get out of the way. But it was too late, and when the attack connected, Tohyama let out a piercing scream to shake the earth. Sesshoumaru smirked in triumph.

Inuyasha's stared, wide-eyed, at his brother. Then he, too, smirked. "I shall defeat Tohyama!" he vowed loudly. The hanyou raised Tetsusaiga in the direction of Kyo's head. "This'll finish you! WIND SCAR!"

Tohyama brought nearly all of the tentacles together to shield the face that was Kyo's. But the Wind Scar tore through all, and blasted Kyo's face, obliterating it.

_Yeah! _Inuyasha thought. _That had to be it… Tohyama's ruling head! I did it! _He grinned at his friends and sneered at his brother. "I guess you were not strong enough to defeat him, huh, Sesshoumaru?" His arrogant smirk widened. "_I_ defeated him."

"Oh?" Sesshoumaru asked dryly. Inuyasha glared at him, and Sesshoumaru inclined his head toward Tohyama's still being.

A great laugh echoed around the village. Tohyama rose up. Kyo's face was gone, but it was still living.

"What!" Inuyasha gasped. "No way!"

Kagome backed up to where Miroku and Sango were, and gulped. "I… I thought it was dead," she stammered.

Sango frowned. Kyo's head had not been the center… so what? She closed her eyes and concentrated on Tohyama's form, trying to sense the strongest point. Her mind drifted over Tohyama's body until it reached a place that pulsed with energy. The taijiya's eyes sprung open, and immediately found that place. Her brown orbs widened in horror. _Of course, _she thought.

"Sesshoumaru! Inuyasha!" she shouted. "The child! Go for the _child_!"

Inuyasha looked at her in confusion. "What? The kid? You've got to be kidding me!" Nevertheless, he turned back to the horrified Tohyama, who was now making a break for it. "Not so fast!" the hanyou shouted, hesitantly raising Tetsusaiga.

Sesshoumaru growled under his breath, and pushed past his brother. "Move it!" he snarled. "Dragon Strike!"

Tohyama was running, the child's face protected, but the turquoise destruction ripped through everything, including the child: Tohyama's black heart.

_TBC_


	5. How To Return Home

**Chapter 5: How To Return Home**

"Here," Sango said softly. She handed a cup of hot tea to the motionless taiyoukai sitting on the roof before her. "Drink this."

"Human food does nothing for me."

The taijiya frowned. "I climbed all the way up here just to give this to you, so you better drink it!" she exclaimed fiercely.

Sesshoumaru glanced at her through the corner of his amber eyes. "Go away." She did not move, and soon his hands reached out and snatched the cup from her.

Sango smiled. "It's been two days since we defeated Tohyama," she said softly, staring out at the waning moon.

Sesshoumaru snorted. She glanced at him in confusion, and he sneered, "We defeated Tohyama? _I_ defeated Tohyama, human. You did nothing but sit on the side, in the arms of that man."

Sango thought she caught some hidden emotion in that sentence, but his expression did not change. Turning away from the taiyoukai, Sango said, "Well, it's true." _He really is like his brother, _Sango thought. She sat down next to him and didn't notice him stiffen.

Sesshoumaru stole a peek at the woman beside him. What was she doing? What right did she have to sit next to one such as him? "Don't you have things to do?" he asked stiffly. "Like being with that houshi."

Sango glanced over at him. "It is late, Sesshoumaru, and houshi-sama—I mean, Miroku—has gone to bed, along with Kagome and Shippo."

"Where is my brother?"

"He is watching over Kagome in the hut, as he always does."

"Like father, like son."

"Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked softly. He didn't respond, but she went on anyway. "Did you hate your father?"

_Did I hate him… did I? _Sesshoumaru pondered her questionThere was a long pause before the taiyoukai, dancing away from a direct answer, said flatly, "I was destined to defeat him, but Inuyasha and his worthless human mother… they caused his miserable death."

"Why were you destined to defeat him?" Sango asked suddenly, chin resting on her knees. "Do you wish for supreme power? To rule?"

"I want to be the strongest," Sesshoumaru explained. He glared at the sky. "I need not to tell this to you."

Sango was silent. He was right; she was intruding by asking such a question. Now wishing that she could take it back, the taijiya stared fixedly at her toes.

"It was what mother wanted."

Sango's head flew up. "Mother…" she repeated slowly. "It was what your mother wanted? She wanted you to defeat your father? Why?" Immediately Sango once again wished she had not said it. Wasn't it obvious? Sesshoumaru's mother had wanted Sesshoumaru to defeat his father because the great dog demon betrayed her!

"It was his fault she died."

_Died?_

Sesshoumaru sensed her confusion and also her hesitance to ask. He opened his mouth to explain, and then promptly shut it. What possessed him to tell this worthless human wench of his past? Very few knew of it, for it held many still healing scars.

Sango looked over at the taiyoukai, and saw his mouth tighten into a thin line, and his eyes narrow to slits. She wanted him to continue, but she had a suspicion that he had said all that he had wanted to.

Many minutes passed in silence before Sango stood up. Sesshoumaru had made it clear that he was not going to explain, and she was tired, so why stay awake? Mid-yawn, Sango stood and bade him goodnight.

"Goodnight, Sesshoumaru. See you in the morning."

"No, you shall not."

Sango stopped from where she had been about to jump to the ground, turned and glanced back at him. "Why not?" she couldn't help but ask curiously.

"I shall be gone by the time you wake tomorrow morning." Sesshoumaru had not moved at all, and if she had not seen his mouth move a fraction, she would have thought him a beautiful statue. "But," he looked back at her then, "we shall meet again soon, taijiya."

Sango nodded, and jumped down. "Farewell," she called softly as she disappeared inside the hut.

Sesshoumaru, looking after her, thought, _Farewell indeed._

* * *

The next morning, Sango found Sesshoumaru had spoken the truth; they found him gone, along with Rin and Jaken.

"Good riddance," Inuyasha muttered darkly when they discovered the three missing.

"Don't be so horrible to him!" Sango chided. "Inuyasha, you're only mad because Sesshoumaru was the one to defeat Tohyama!"

"I am not!" Inuyasha retorted indignantly.

"You are too!" Sango said accusatively.

"You are doing it again, Sango," Miroku said levelly, out of nowhere. "Protecting Sesshoumaru."

What followed Miroku's statement was absolute silence in the hut where they were gathered.

Sango coughed, and stood. "Well, he was the one to defeat him, wasn't he?" she said, certainty strong in her voice. "I'm only stating the truth. How is that protecting the… the… nasty demon?" Sango felt a twinge of guilt at calling Sesshoumaru nasty after he had so kindly resurrected her, but she brushed it aside, knowing she was only calling him nasty for the benefit of her friends.

"It wasn't that," Miroku clarified softly. He didn't bother to explain; instead he fell silent, looking at his hands.

Sango frowned and strode out the door. She observed the calm outside and walked over to where Tohyama had met its end. There was a deep, dark stain in the dirt from where the demon had been obliterated that would probably never disappear. She smiled grimly. _At least he was gone, now. But how horrible to place your soul in the form of a small child! He knew that we would never have suspected._

…_I guess I was not so useless, after all…_

She glanced up at the sky, and shielded her cinnamon eyes from the sun. Sesshoumaru destroyed the child's shell with such cruel indifference. It was truly typical of a demon. Inuyasha had been loath to attack the child, even though he knew it was evil. She had discovered that one evening, when Inuyasha and Kagome had thought to be the only ones awake.

_"Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned softly._

_He glanced up to see her leaning over him, linen blanket in hand, smiling. "What?" he replied sullenly, still upset about his brother's victory._

_"Do you want a blanket?" She offered the coverlet to him, but he waved her away with a shake of his head._

_"You take it. I don't need it."_

_"How about we share it?" Kagome suggested. Inuyasha didn't seem particularly opposed to that idea, so she sat down next to him and draped the warm cotton over them both._

_"Thanks," Inuyasha said, absently throwing an arm over her shoulder and pulling her closer. He had no idea what effect this had on her; he simply did that so he could wrap the blanket around them more securely._

_"Y-you're welcome," Kagome stammered, red in the face. She was grateful for the darkness that concealed her blush. Hesitantly resting her head upon his shoulder, she closed her eyes._

_"Kagome."'_

_"Hmm?" Kagome responded sleepily, not moving._

_"I… are you disappointed?"_

_"Disappointed?" Kagome repeated, raising her head to look at Inuyasha curiously. "What do you mean?"_

_"That _I _wasn't the one that defeated Tohyama," Inuyasha explained with some difficulty. It was obvious that this was not easy to say._

_But Kagome chuckled, surprising Inuyasha. "Are you serious? Of course I'm not disappointed!" She laughed again and snuggled closer to him. "Why would I be disappointed of you? You did all you could, and it was great! Just because Sesshoumaru was cold-hearted enough to attack that child doesn't mean you had to be! In fact, I'm glad you didn't!"_

_Inuyasha sighed in relief. "Good, because I really didn't want to attack that kid's head."_

_Sango, supposedly asleep in a sleeping bag she had borrowed from Kagome, smiled and closed her eyes as the talking ceased._

Sango smiled to herself as she recalled the incident and pondered over Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship. They had certainly progressed, that much was sure. But how soon would they really be together?

"Sango," came a voice.

The taijiya turned to find Miroku standing before her, an apologetic smile on his face. "Miroku," Sango said in greeting.

"I'm sorry for accusing you of defending that demon," the houshi said sincerely, coming up and bestowing a comforting hand upon her shoulders. "It just seemed like… like you _were _protecting him, though."

"Well," Sango said uncomfortably, "you see…" She gulped. Should she tell him of her resurrection?

"Well, what? I see what?" Miroku asked, slightly impatient. He cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"You see, after Tohyama killed me," Sango noted Miroku's flinch when he mentioned the incident, "when Sesshoumaru took me away…" She paused, and Miroku nodded, so she continued, "Well, he… resurrected me, Miroku."

"He _what_?"

Sango winced at the loudness of his voice. "He resurrected me," she repeated mildly. The taijiya looked at her toes and avoided his glance.

"Why didn't you tell us _before_?" the houshi yelped, thoroughly shocked. "_Sesshoumaru _resurrected you!"

Sango didn't look up. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Miroku dashed forward and enveloped the taijiya in a hug. "I suppose you had a reason to protect him, huh?" he said, squeezing her tighter. The houshi buried his face in her shoulder. "If it was he who brought you back to us, then I am very thankful."

Sango smiled. "Tell him, not me," she said amiably.

Miroku snorted. "No thank you." Choosing to not recall the painful vision he had experienced of Sango and Sesshoumaru together, Miroku smiled into the crook of her neck and let her go.

* * *

"I have decided to go to my village for a little while," Sango exclaimed the next day over lunch.

Miroku stopped mid-chew, Kagome paused, chopsticks halfway to her mouth, whereas Inuyasha and Shippo did not pause.

"Must you go, Sango?" Kagome asked sadly.

"How long will you be gone? When will you be back?" Miroku pestered anxiously.

"I don't know; but I need to fix Hiraikotsu. I am practically defenseless without it." The taijiya sighed miserably. "I never thought I'd be reduced to this after losing only a weapon."

"But Hiraikotsu is special to you," Miroku said reassuringly. "Sango, you are _not _weak."

The taijiya smiled at him and stood up. "My bags are outside," she said softly. Smiling, she bade her friends good-bye and disappeared out the door. Grabbing her bags and her broken boomerang on the way, Sango walked off a little way with Kirara by her side.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Miroku called after Sango, appearing in the doorframe of the hut and walking toward her.

Sango paused, and looked back. She was smiling. "That's very nice of you, Miroku, but I'm happy to go on my own." Kirara was by her side, now large, and Sango mounted her. "Farewell," she called as Kirara leaped into the air.

Miroku stared after her, hand outstretched toward the fading figure of the young woman riding on her pet demon. The sad expression plastered upon the young monk's face faded as she disappeared, and was replaced by a smile. "Ryomi awaits," he announced to himself, with an element of sadness in his voice, and sprinted off in the opposite direction from both the cabin and where Sango was heading.

Kagome, who was peeking at him from the doorway, let out a string of uncharacteristically ghastly curses.

Inuyasha looked up from his delicious ramen and glanced at Kagome with apprehension. "Kagome," he said, "what's wrong? You step on something?"

"She's wearing shoes, Inuyasha," Shippo reminded his hanyou friend with glee, happy to expose such a stupid mistake.

Inuyasha shrugged off his error and focused on Kagome, who had not yet answered.

Without any warning, the schoolgirl suddenly whirled around with an expression to match a demon's: eyes afire, mouth fixed in a hard line, brows drawn together.

"Wh-what's wrong?" the hanyou stammered nervously, scurrying backwards, more afraid than usual of the young woman.

"Damn that Miroku!" she cried. "He let Sango go without giving her a kiss!" Her hand fisted furiously in her green miniskirt. "Or he could have insisted that he should go too! Argh!" she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and plunking down next to Inuyasha. "Stupid houshi!"

"You're so meddlesome, Kagome," Shippo sighed maturely, causing his friends to look up in surprise, shocked that he actually knew of the word 'meddlesome.' "What are you looking at me like that for?" Shippo squeaked, immediately reverting to the little, immature Shippo that his friend knew when he saw their amused faces.

Kagome let out a giggle and allowed her arms to fall into her lap. "I suppose I was being nosy," she mused. "But… I don't know… he could have done _something_!"

Inuyasha shrugged and suggested bluntly, "Maybe he's… cheating on her, or something."

_Surely he knows that saying such a thing is suicide; it going to definitely earn him a frustrated sit from Kagome! _Shippo thought, shaking his head. But to the little kitsune's surprise, Kagome did not sit her hanyou friend; instead, she shook her head wildly in horror.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped. "Don't say that!"

Inuyasha shrugged boredly in response. "You know him."

"Yes, well," Kagome said desperately, "I don't care! Think of how sweet he has been to her! It's not _possible_; he can't be cheating on her. If he doesn't love her, why did he kiss her during the battle with Tohyama?"

The room fell into uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, but she broke it by murmuring, "But, I can't help but wonder where he was going when he left…"

* * *

"Father," Sango greeted softly, kneeling next to the grave. A collection of wildflowers was clutched in her pale hands, and she slowly placed them on the dirt. "I have fallen in love." She smiled, and let out an unceremonious snort. "I hardly think you would approve. He is a young, womanizing houshi, but he says… he says he loves me, father."

And so she smiled once more, and turned to the grave beside her father's, placing another bunch of wildflowers atop that mound.

The taijiya moved slowly along the graves, placing flowers on each other until all of them were covered. Then she bowed respectfully and stood, making her way back to the hut where her broken Hiraikotsu lay next to the fire, ready to be put back together.

Stepping inside, Sango walked over and grabbed her tools from the bench beside the fire. Hiking up the sleeves of her kimono, Sango squatted down next to her trusty boomerang and set to work.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Sango stood and wiped sweat from her brow. Pulling her weapon out of the fire with tongs, Sango dumped it in a bath-sized container full of cool water. The bone hissed as it connected with the liquid, and a thick steam rose up.

Sango reached in and grabbed it, hauling it outside to cool. She tied up her long black-brown locks in a high ponytail to keep the hair of her neck, and looked around the village.

Besides the lack of people, it looked almost… normal.

"_Mew!"_

"Hey, Kirara," Sango cooed, holding out her arms so that the cat demon could jump into them. "Thank you for carrying me."

Kirara only meowed in response.

Sango, with Kirara in her arms, walked back to where Hiraikotsu lay, and showed the boomerang to the demon. "What do you think? Did I do a good job?" Sango asked playfully.

Kirara let out a string of enthusiastic mews, then suddenly sniffed the air and jumped down, surprising her owner. Fire enveloped the demon and she grew bigger. Fur bristling, Kirara snarled menacingly at the woods opposite the bamboo hut.

"What's going on?" Sango exclaimed, whirling around to squint into the woods in the direction that Kirara was facing. "Who's there?" _Have I been so out of it that I haven't noticed someone's presence? _the taijiya wondered.

_This does not bode well, _a figure, shrouded in darkness, thought. Sitting in a tree, one white and puffy pant leg hanging down, the man—for it was obviously a man—exuded confidence. Silver hair whipped around his figure in the wind, also blowing a white sleeve with a red design on the end into Sango's vision.

Below, the taijiya gasped in surprise as she looked up and caught sight of a rather familiar sleeve. At first it appeared to be floating, but then a figure seemed to materialize before her, and she recognized him immediately. "When you said we would meet again soon, I didn't think you would mean this soon, Sesshoumaru!" Sango shouted up to the figure.

Piercing amber eyes glowered at the human below, and his deep voice rumbled, "What gave you the authority to speak to me so familiarly?"

Sango tittered lightly, and beckoned for him to come inside the hut. "Bring Rin and Jaken too," she called back. "I'll make lunch."

"How did she know we were here?" Jaken screeched, his head popping out from behind a thick tree.

"Rin doesn't know, but she said to go inside!" Rin exclaimed, coming out from behind a neighboring tree and skipping gaily toward the hut. Jaken yelped at her to come back, but she ignored him and bounded inside Sango's home. "Besides," she called back to her toad-like friend, "Rin is very hungry, Master Jaken!"

"You impudent child!" Jaken cried after her, his face red with frustration. He glanced up at his lord. "Milord, what are we to do with that human? All she ever does is cause trouble." To himself, Jaken mumbled, "I don't even know why Sesshoumaru-sama lowers himself to traveling with a human, anyway."

A rock connected with the toad's head.

Jaken let out a loud yelp of shock, and fell over. His lord landed next to him a second later, and swept gracefully toward the hut. Without looking back, Sesshoumaru said darkly, "Do not speak badly of Rin, Jaken. I thought you would have learned this by now."

Picking himself up, Jaken pleaded, "I'm sorry, but did you see? She would not listen, milord!" Sesshoumaru had already disappeared inside.

* * *

"Here, Rin," Sango said softly, handing out a portion of freshly cooked food to the little girl.

The human took it with a toothy smile of gratitude, and began to shovel the food down her throat. "Fank joo," Rin garbled mid-chew. She swallowed. "Thank you," she repeated.

Sango's eyes crinkled in merriment, and a content grin lit up her face. "You are welcome."

Sesshoumaru watched this act with a bemused smirk upon his face. Never had he seen Rin so happy in the company of others, and Sesshoumaru could only remember one time when _he_ had felt so content…

The last time he had felt this way, it was before his mother died.

His mouth tightened into an angry little line, and he glanced away from the scene.

"Do you want some, Jaken?" Sango asked, offering a bowl to the imp.

"Why would I take food from _you_, a filthy human! I can get my _own_ food, thank you very much! Do you think me not _capable_? Do you think me not _worthy_ of serving under the great Sesshoumaru-sama? Well, I have served milord for many generations, and you are very wrong!" Jaken screeched, spittle flying from his mouth with each word. "I am very useful, and did you know that Sesshoumaru-sama himself bestowed upon me this staff? So, human, you—"

"Do you want some, Jaken?" Sango repeated wearily.

Jaken bristled, and, his face bright red against the dull green of his hands (which were placed stubbornly on his hips), opened his mouth to rant once more, when a word from his lord stopped him.

"Answer, Jaken. Delay no longer. I grow tired of watching your idiotic banter."

Jaken gulped nervously and stared at the floor. "I do not want anything."

"Are you sure?" Sango asked. She was not saying it to be courteous. This was the last of it, and if he didn't want any, she would give it to Kirara, as she knew Sesshoumaru would not accept it.

"Yes," Jaken spat out.

"Okay," Sango said, standing. She called for Kirara and the cat demon came running. Squatting down, Sango offered the bowl to the cat demon, who took it hungrily and went off to eat it in a corner.

Jaken looked after the creature, and stared at his toes. _It does look good, _he admitted to himself. Without glancing up, he mumbled, "Is there any more?"

"What?" Sango exclaimed. "Are you joking? After all of that nonsense, you say you want some?"

When Jaken nodded mutely, Rin giggled and earned herself a glare from the imp, and Sesshoumaru shook his head at his accomplice's idiocy.

"Well," Sango said, plunking herself down next to Rin, "I'm sorry, but that was the last of it."

Jaken, inwardly cursing himself and the troublesome taijiya, nodded again, not moving his eyes from one particular spot on the floor. Now his face was red from embarrassment.

The taiyoukai, leaning comfortably against the wall of the hovel, fought down a derisive snort of laughter at his companion.

He then busied himself with looking around the hovel. His sharp golden eyes traveled slowly over everything in the hut. The boomerang the taijiya always used was hung up against the wall (she had brought it inside earlier), and some other weapons made of bone were cluttered messily on a wooden table. Tools lay on the floor next to the fire, and a mat was left out in one corner for anyone to sleep in.

Obviously, the taijiya was not the neatest of people.

_Such is one of the flaws of the human race,_ Sesshoumaru thought absently.

"So, Sesshoumaru," Sango said, interrupting the taiyoukai's thoughts, "how did you come to my village?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama wanted to see—" Rin began innocently.

"Rin."

The girl stopped mid-sentence, understanding Sesshoumaru's meaning: what had gone on that morning, and how they got to the Sango's village was to remain between Rin, Jaken and Sesshoumaru.

However, what happened was…

_Early in the morning, before anyone had woken up, Sesshoumaru strode away from the abandoned village where he had spent the last couple of days, and thought of his words the night before: "But we shall meet again, taijiya."_

_What had possessed him to say that?_

_Such foolish words…_

_It was true, though._

_He had found himself stalking purposefully to the east that morning, and though it took days, they traveled by flight, and ended up at Sango's village. He had left his territory, rather foolishly, on a whim that had not become clear to him until, days later, stationed in that tree, he saw Sango appear out of one of the huts._

_Once again, Sango was plaguing my mind to the extent that I wanted to see her, and see her I did,_ Sesshoumaru thought as he avoided answering Sango's question.

Sango, having absolutely no idea what Sesshoumaru was thinking about, closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. Fatigue had suddenly overcome her, and she would not mind having a little nap. But she had guests, so she could not.

Sighing tiredly, the taijiya opened her eyes again and started in surprise when she saw Kirara bounding out and Sesshoumaru already gone.

Rin and Jaken were by her side, though Jaken was rather tense. Was it just the fact that he was sitting with two human women, or was he tense for the same reason that Sesshoumaru and Kirara had left?

Sango jumped up and bounded toward the door.

Rin glanced up. "Where are you going?" the little girl asked curiously.

Sango smiled reassuringly down at her. "I'll be right back, Rin-chan." With that, she leaped out the door to where Kirara, big and bristling, and Sesshoumaru, sword drawn, were standing motionless in front of a large, dragon-like demon.

_That scent—! _Sesshoumaru thought. Instead of voicing his thoughts, though, he ordered at Sango, "Go back inside."

Sango glared at the taiyoukai. "I will do no such thing." She reached behind her for Hiraikotsu, to find it gone. Sango remembered that her boomerang lay inside. It would not be wise to use it when it had only been put back together a few hours earlier.

Sesshoumaru turned slightly toward her, having anticipated that she had reached behind for her weapon. "Exactly. Go inside."

"_You_ go inside!" Sango shot back immaturely.

"Don't presume to tell this Sesshoumaru what to do," the taiyoukai snarled, turning back to the dragon.

Sango scowled at him and reached for her wakizashi, lying against the wall of the hut. Grabbing it, she unsheathed it without pause and brandished it at the demon.

"You will only be in the way," Sesshoumaru said bluntly.

"Hmph!" Sango exclaimed indignantly. Wanting to prove her skill, she leaped bravely forward with a cry and ran past Sesshoumaru, short sword bared confidently at the pompous olive dragon…

… but she was pulled back by the neck of her kimono, and thrown back against the wall of the hut.

She gasped for breath and rubbed her neck. Standing up shakily, she barked at Sesshoumaru, "What the hell was that!"

"I told you, you'd only be in the way!" Sesshoumaru roared as he charged forward and brought his sword down upon the head of the bored-looking demon.

But at the last second before the strike connected, the dragon opened its mouth and to Sesshoumaru's surprise, an icy substance flew out and covered the startled taiyoukai from head to toe. Upon hitting him, it turned at once to ice, freezing him in place.

Sesshoumaru was stuck.

Sango bit back laughter. "Now who's in the way?" she called to him boldly, leaping upon Kirara and flying toward the angry dragon. It blew the weird water at the two, but they dodged and Sango thrust out her wakizashi and decapitated the creature with one clean swipe.

Sesshoumaru, furious but still frozen, gave her a mental glare but couldn't help but admit that it had been nicely—if not a little crudely—done.

Sango jumped off Kirara and landed neatly on the ground. Walking back to the hut, she wiped at her short sword with a cloth that was found stuck to the bamboo, and sheathed her katana. Then the taijiya walked over to the ice-covered Sesshoumaru and mulled over how to unfreeze him.

Even she could not help but notice how humorous the taiyoukai looked, stuck in a position where his Tokijin was raised above his head.

Just then, she noticed Sesshoumaru's stare (for his eyes could still move) fly to the woods where the dragon had first appeared from, and heard Kirara's snarl. She turned, and groaned aloud as two more dragons appeared.

_They must have smelled the blood, _Sango thought.

The scarlet and the azure dragon bent over their fallen olive companion and both let out a roar of fury—or pain, depending on how one would interpret it—when they found him dead.

Sango winced at the noise and grabbed her sword. Then she looked at the furious Sesshoumaru. What should she do, unfreeze the taiyoukai or simply take them out herself and prove her strength?

Sango decided on the latter. It looked like Sesshoumaru was beginning to thaw, anyway.

The taijiya drew her sword and charged towards the cobalt demon, assuming it had the same power as its fallen friend, and that she could dodge it.

_Fool, _Sesshoumaru thought.

To her surprise and horror, as Sango brought her sword down the blue demon opened its mouth and out floated black mist that covered all.

Soon she could see no better than if she was blind, clumsily feeling her way around. When she connected with something icy, and, not realizing it was the annoyed Sesshoumaru, her hand traveled up to the top and her fingers ran over the cheek of the taiyoukai, feeling the slight ridge of the marking.

Sesshoumaru would have sighed, had he been able to. But, frozen in that position, the great inuyoukai could do nothing.

Though he would never admit it, Sesshoumaru was enjoying the feeling of her fingertips running over his face. But this could not go on forever. Surely the dragons could see past this darkness, and would come for Sango soon.

Then Sesshoumaru found, to his surprise, that the frozen feeling was wearing off slightly. He could move, if only a little. Using this to his advantage, when Sango's fingers accidentally passed over his lips, he bit them. Hard.

"Ouch!" Sango yelped, pulling her finger back. She paused. Thought. And then realized what she had been feeling. Her face reddened. "Sessh-Sesshoumaru?" she gasped, rubbing her sore fingers.

She didn't get a response, but she didn't expect to, as he was still mostly frozen. The taijiya pulled away and muttered embarrassed apologies before squinting into the blackness for the dragons.

Stumbling forward, Sango drew her sword, and chopped at air, hoping to strike the dragons.

Whoosh.

When Sango whirled around in confusion at the noise, which had been like someone exhaling strongly, she felt something very hot collide with her side, and she cried out, dropping the sword and clutching the burn.

The darkness lifted, and Sango saw the crimson dragon that had burned her. Its mouth was smoking; it had obviously breathed fire. Sango let out a furious shout. But, instead of charging toward the red demon that had caused her such pain, she charged toward the blue demon. She wanted to dispatch the darkness-themed demon first.

She did not want to have sight taken from her ever again. It had not felt good to be completely helpless, constantly feeling like she was about to bump into something or fall.

Or touch something without knowing what it was.

Sango blushed again and looked back at Sesshoumaru for a second. Still embarrassed, Sango once again focused on the blue demon.

She ran toward it, and though it reared up to attack her with its claws, she swiped her wakizashi along its middle, and it let out a scream of pain and dropped to the ground, lifeless.

Sesshoumaru watched this with apprehension. Something was bound to happen soon…

And it did.

Sango, confident she could kill the last demon, the fire-breathing one, turned toward it and was faced with a wall of fire that scorched her. Mind reeling from the heat and from the pain, Sango began to fall backwards.

Sesshoumaru struggled against the ice that held him. If the taijiya hit the ground she would be completely defenseless and at the demon's deadly mercy. And Sesshoumaru did not want that.

The ice was melting, but not fast enough for Sesshoumaru's liking. Then, using all his strength, the taiyoukai let out a roar and broke free of his icy bonds, wanting to catch the fallen slayer before she hit the ground.

He succeeded, but barely.

Rushing forward, Sesshoumaru caught her and found the taijiya in a pain-filled stupor. She could not fight like this. The taiyoukai sighed and raised Tokijin. The power of the sword alone shredded the dragon, and it limped off into the woods, broken and bleeding. Then he sheathed Tokijin, picked Sango up, and carried her inside the hut.

Rin gasped upon seeing Sango's condition: she was burned raw; her whole body was a shiny red color. "What happened to her, Sesshoumaru-sama?" the little girl gasped worriedly, accidentally dropping the empty bowl she had been holding in her hands.

"Dragons," was Sesshoumaru's cold answer. Rin, dissatisfied but not about to say so, watched attentively as Sesshoumaru placed the young human woman on her mat.

The taiyoukai turned to Jaken. "Search this hut and the huts around it for remedies, Jaken."

Jaken spluttered for a second about the unfairness of it all, but a cold glare from his master sent him on his way.

Sesshoumaru knelt beside the young woman. Her hair was splayed out around her face, and there was a pain-filled expression on her face. _She should be smiling, _Sesshoumaru thought suddenly. He frowned. _No. Don't think like that._

A few minutes later, Jaken returned with a bundle of medicine in his arms, breaking Sesshoumaru away from his self-berating. The taiyoukai snatched them without a thank you and handed them to Rin.

"I trust that you know how to apply these," he said. She nodded, and Sesshoumaru stood. "Good. I will be outside."

"Is there another dragon out there, milord?" Jaken asked.

The taiyoukai shook his head and ordered Jaken to stay put. With that, he strode out the door to where the remains of two of the dragon trio lay dead by Sango's hand. He sniffed the air and his brow furrowed worriedly.

_That scent… the dragon's scent is the same… as Tohyama's._

_But how could that be possible? _He shook his head. _Impossible. I disposed of that demon; he cannot be alive._

After a few more minutes of strange smells and anxious confusion, Sesshoumaru returned to the hut. Rin was sitting by Sango. By the looks of it, she had already applied the cream and now was waiting for the girl to awaken.

"That human will not wake for a while, Rin," Jaken told her sullenly.

"I will stay with her until she does, Master Jaken," Rin insisted sweetly.

"I do not understand humans," the toad grumbled, turning away from the child.

Sesshoumaru watched this indifferently, and walked over to Sango. "It looks like you have done a fine job, Rin."

Rin looked up, face lit with happiness. Never before had her lord bestowed upon her a compliment! "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin squealed gleefully.

Jaken looked on jealously.

* * *

"Sango-sama!"

Sango let out a soft groan and stirred. Her whole body ached and tingled. She opened her eyes. Rin was hovering over her. She could see Jaken mumbling to himself in a corner. Sesshoumaru stood against the wall, looking on. The taijiya turned back to Rin, and smiled slightly. "What… what happened?" she croaked hoarsely, and coughed.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru ordered, "bring her water."

It did not seem unnatural to be this kind to a human, though it would have a couple months back…

Jaken grumbled but obediently fetched the water and handed it to Sango in a cup that had been left on the floor.

"Thank you," she said to Jaken. He didn't respond. Sango put the cup to her lips and drank from it like it was an elixir to keep her alive always. Refreshing and cold, it woke Sango up properly and she sat up. Immediately regretting her decision, Sango lay back down, wincing at the pain of her burns.

"The dragon burned you."

She glanced at Sesshoumaru. "That's right," she said slowly, and cringed at the memory. But then she smiled. "And you had been frozen…"

The taiyoukai glowered at her.

She chuckled and said, "I am assuming it was you who brought me here, Sesshoumaru?" When the demon nodded grudgingly, she sighed. "This is the second time you have saved my life, for I would surely have died if you had left me."

"Indeed you would have," Sesshoumaru agreed monotonously.

Relaxing on her mat, Sango fell silent and decided that she would rest up for another day or so, and then return to Miroku. She had been missing him.

When Sesshoumaru saw Sango smile after she had fallen silent, he was tempted to say, 'Thinking of the houshi?' but he stopped himself, and glanced away.

* * *

After a few days, Sango bade Sesshoumaru, Rin and Jaken good-bye, smiling and saying, "Well, I promised Miroku I'd be back soon, so I'd better go." She bowed. "Thanks again."

Sesshoumaru did nothing as he watched her get on Kirara and fly away, his face blank and cold as usual while he inwardly churned with anger. _That houshi, that degenerate, womanizing houshi—how can she trust him? _He scowled slightly at her departing figure, and watched as she faded into nothing.

* * *

A couple days later, as the trip was a long and tiresome one, Sango's friends finally came into view, and, thrilled, the young woman bellowed down, "Kagome! Inuyasha! Shippo!" She searched for Miroku, but found he was gone. Her smile faltered.

"Sango!" Kagome yelped joyfully when Sango and Kirara descended from the skies.

The taijiya gave an energetic wave and she and Kirara touched down on the ground. Hopping off, Sango grinned at the three friends who stood before her; still hurt and slightly amazed that Miroku was not there to greet her.

"Hey, Sango!" Shippo squeaked happily. Turning to Kirara, who was small again, he squealed, "Kirara!" and raced over to where the cat demon was.

Sango crossed her arms over her chest and smiled fondly at the young kitsune, who was now embracing the purring two-tailed demon. She didn't fail to notice that Shippo had been much more happy to see Kirara than he had been to see her. But it didn't bother the taijiya; he was small, and Kirara was his best friend.

"Welcome back, Sango!" Kagome said, rushing forward and enveloping her friend in a quick hug.

Sango chuckled at Kagome's hyper ways, and greeted Inuyasha. "Hello, Inuyasha."

He nodded, and managed to say, "Took you long enough."

Sango snorted. "I was only gone a couple days," she said. Inuyasha didn't say anything more on the subject, so she decided to ask a certain question, which had been whirling across her mind since she first saw her friends in the distance that day. "Where's Miroku?" she inquired.

"Oh…" Kagome looked at the ground.

Sango took this to mean something bad, and she exclaimed anxiously, "What happened!"

Kagome immediately glanced up, worry etched on her face. "Oh, nothing! I'm sorry, Sango! I didn't mean to scare you. He's fine." The schoolgirl saw Sango relax, and continued, "He went out early this morning, and hasn't been back since."

"Really?" the taijiya asked softly. "He's been gone a long time, then."

"Yeah. And he's been going out every day since you left," Inuyasha said carelessly. "Gone before even I wake up, and back after Kagome and Shippo have fallen asleep."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said sharply. She turned to him and hissed so that Sango didn't hear, "Shush! I thought we just agreed that we wouldn't tell her that!"

Inuyasha turned. "Tell her what?" he asked dully.

Kagome stared at him, appalled.

"Maybe I should go look for him," Sango mused.

"No, no," Kagome insisted, taking Sango's arm and leading her to a comfortable spot in the grassy sun. "He'll be back later. Don't worry, Sango." She smiled and sat down next to her friend. "So, I see you fixed Hiraikotsu," the schoolgirl said, totally changing the subject.

"Yeah," Sango said absently, staring at her hands. She wondered where Miroku was.

Inuyasha walked over and leaned casually against the tree opposite where Sango and Kagome sat. He took in a whiff of the fresh spring air, and, suddenly alert, he straightened and sniffed the air once more. "Sango… you smell like… like…" He sniffed a final time and his mouth dropped open. _"My brother!"_

Sango stiffened. This hadn't even _occurred _to her. But now, faced with her worst nightmare, Sango let out a very fake, very squeaky giggle. "Yeah, I ran into him on the road. Literally," she lied, trying to laugh it off.

"Feh," Inuyasha said, obviously unconvinced and eyeing her suspiciously.

The rest of the day passed pretty much without incident. Shippo and Kirara went off to play, Inuyasha went off in a sulk after Kagome said 'sit' for some unknown reason, and Sango waited patiently for Miroku's return.

* * *

By nightfall her patience had run out. Kagome and Shippo were going to sleep, and Inuyasha was stationed in a tree, looking after them all.

"Sango," Kagome said, stifling an exhausted yawn, "you should go to bed. Miroku will be back when you wake up; I know he'll be thrilled to see you."

Sango shrugged and pointed out, "But what about what Inuyasha said? 'Gone before even I wake up, and back after Kagome and Shippo have fallen asleep'? What if I don't see him? What if he doesn't even stop to say hi?"

Kagome didn't have an answer to that, so she said a half-hearted goodnight and curled up next to Shippo.

Sango sat, still and waiting, for the next hour and a half. Inuyasha listened to the sighs that emanated from her every few minutes, her restlessness disturbing him so much that it was impossible to get to sleep. Soon the taijiya got up and paced around the camp as quietly as possible, in order to not wake Kagome, Shippo and Kirara.

"Sango," came Inuyasha's hiss half-an-hour later. It sounded exhausted. She glanced absently up at the tree that he occupied, and he, peering through the leafy branches, noticed that she had deep bags under her eyes. She too looked as if she was about to fall asleep. "Go to sleep," he ordered hoarsely.

Sango shot him a glare to freeze the soul. Her eyes were narrowed, and she demanded, "Where is he? Where could he have gone?"

"I don't know," Inuyasha sighed, sitting up slightly and yawning. As he watched, Sango turned away from him and strode in the direction of a village not too far away. "Where are you going?" he asked sleepily, trying with all his might to stay awake.

"To find him," Sango said furiously. And with that, she was gone.

Inuyasha squinted after her. He shrugged and relaxed against the trunk of the think tree, and yawned once more. "Idiot," he grumbled, closing his eyes and immediately falling back asleep.

* * *

_Where the hell are you, Miroku? _Sango asked mentally, running at full tilt through the darkness. She kept tripping over roots and stray branches, and countless sharp leaves and small, spindly twigs scratched at her face and her body.

She burst out of the forest a moment later, into a dimly lit village. A candle was lit in one of the hovels, providing the slight yellow glow. She wandered toward it, curious about who would be up and this time.

When she glanced in the window, she didn't see anyone, so she shrugged and moved on. She wandered toward the opposite end of the village and Sango squinted through the darkness, calling out for the houshi. She bent over and looked in all places possible. Note that I did not say probable.

After glancing under tables and in bushes, Sango straightened and cursed under her breath. _Damn it, Miroku! Where are you?_ she thought angrily. Obviously he wasn't anywhere else, unless he was staying in one of the huts. _But why would he stay in someone's home? And if he was, why would he keep it a secret? That would not be like him… _She sighed. _But why would he be _here _anyway?_

"Don't be silly," came a soft, cheerful boyish laugh from inside of the lit up hut. Sango glanced over in confusion, brows raised. That had sounded like…

"Promise me, houshi-sama," pleaded a sullen voice.

Sango bristled. 'Houshi-sama'? Then it _had _been Miroku who had spoken. And that surly voice; it had been a woman's! Sango's bright cinnamon eyes widened in horror at the possible betrayal, but she shook her head, refusing to believe it.

Then, soft, padding footsteps made their way to the rough straw curtain that was used as a door. Sango drew back into the darkness as a man in a long robe ventured out of the house.

"Houshi-sama, I haven't seen you in years. Promise me you'll be back!" begged a woman, appearing in the lamplight after the man. She was pretty, with short black hair and wide blue eyes.

There was more talking, but the only thing Sango caught was a comforting word by a voice that was obviously Miroku's: "I'll try, Ryomi." Little did she know that what he really said was "Thank you for comforting me. I promise I'll try, Ryomi."

The woman smiled through fresh tears, and Miroku kissed her forehead.

"Good night, Ryomi," Miroku said.

"Meet me tomorrow?" questioned Ryomi cutely.

After a pause, Miroku said, "Yes…"

Sango, still hiding in the darkness, clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out. But then her chocolate eyes narrowed, and when the woman had disappeared inside her hut and Miroku had turned to go back to the campsite, Sango stepped out of the darkness behind him.

"Hmm? Who's there?" Miroku said, instantly alert. His black fringe swung over his dark violet eyes as they focused on the figure.

Sango looked away for an instant before sneaking up behind him. She put her hands on his shoulders whirled him around. "Miroku!" she hissed, and his mouth formed a small 'o' at the sight of her. He stepped back.

"S-Sango," he stuttered, "H-hello. I didn't know you were back."

"You wouldn't," she snarled. "You've been out all day."

"Y-yeah," he agreed. "Out… getting food. For Kagome and Inuyasha. I got lost, and this kind woman"—he motioned to the hut he had just ventured out of, knowing she had been watching—"helped me find my way back."

"You two got very close," Sango growled conversationally. "No, wait. What was it she said? 'I haven't seen you in years', was it? So you two had met before, huh? Old friends?"

"Sango," Miroku said urgently, scratching the back of his head in a desperate attempt to look adorable, "no need to get upset."

"Of course not," Sango said, anger dissolving into despair.

Miroku blanched at the broken sound of her usually strong voice. "Uhm… Sango…" The monk started in surprise when tears began to race down the taijiya's face. He instinctively rushed to comfort her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "D-don't cry. Please don't cry, Sango."

Sango threw Miroku's arm off her and pushed him away. "I-I was foolish to ever believe I was the only one in your heart, Miroku, no matter how many times you told me so!"

Miroku extended a hand out to her, but she recoiled at the thought of his touch. "You don't understand, Sango!" he said desperately, arms flying back to his sides and hands curling into white-knuckled fists.

"Give it back!" Sango demanded suddenly, thrusting a hand out toward him. Miroku's miserable and confused face was her answer, so she clarified her answer with another: "My heart! Give it back!"

* * *

Since Sango's departure, Rin had noticed that her lord had been rather sullen, so at precisely the time that Miroku was discovered by Sango, Rin crept up behind Sesshoumaru and exclaimed, "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sitting propped up by a tree, he responded, without turning to face the little girl, "Yes, Rin?"

"Do you like Sango-sama? Do you think she's pretty?"

"Yes, Rin," Sesshoumaru responded distractedly, his thoughts of Sango returning from where they had been banished to the recesses of his mind. Rin squealed in delight at his answer, and he turned, realizing what he had just admitted to. He prepared to deny it when he realized…

…that it was true.

_Fin_

* * *

**Summary for the sequel,_ Tactics of Revenge_ (up now):**

_Tohyama is alive, and has teamed up with Naraku. Sesshoumaru's past is finally revealed, Takeda Kuranosuke returns and Miroku tries again to convince Sango of his undying love. For the first time, Sesshoumaru feels threatened._


End file.
